The Outlaw's Dilemma
by royalfortressmeadow
Summary: Robin is forced to decide who to love and who to hurt between Regina and Marian when Snow Queen Elsa threatens both their lives. The story begins immediately after Marian's return. Season 4 prediction, with a major focus on Outlaw Queen. Rated M for sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

All she could do was watch. Watch as he stood by a short distance, struck with relief and— she hurt to admit it—happiness. A happiness that sparked within him, without her.

"I'm sorry, Regina." Emma said again. She sounded sincere. Regina kept her eyes at Robin and his family, but she could see Emma standing by her peripheral. The hatred she never thought would come back stirred deep inside, tainting her heart with that poisonous but intoxicating darkness. At a flick of a finger, she knew full well Emma would be incinerated instantly.

But she couldn't do it. Not when everyone was there.

_Henry_. Her lips pursed. _Robin_.

Regina hurried outside Granny's diner without another word, letting her tears fall when no one noticed her leave.

* * *

Robin couldn't remove the smile from his face. She was there, eyes sparked with life and laughter. His Marian. Her long dark hair, pink lips and rosy cheeks were just as beautiful as he remembered. "I've missed you," he confessed, caressing her in his arms. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"Me neither," Marian said. She let out nervous laughter. "When I was imprisoned, all I could think about was you and Roland." The memories brought tears to her eyes. "This…" her voice was shaky, "This is truly a blessing."

Robin could not agree more. Marian patted their son on the head as he nuzzled against his mother. "The Evil Queen was going to execute me in the morning. The next thing I know, I was forced into traversing time with Emma and Killian—something about breaking the fabric of space time."

Robin's once elated feeling fizzled out as fast as it came. His heart clamored and his stomach churned as he realized—_Regina._ He turned his head to the direction of his queen, but she had gone.

"Robin?" Marian said, looking around with him, "Is there something wrong?"

Panic filled his heart. He turned to Marian, frazzled. "It's nothing," he lied.

She glared at her husband. "You can't lie to me," she said. Marian took him by the hand and squeezed him firmly. "You may have gotten years' worth of my absence, but for me it was but a short time. I can still tell when you're being truthful, and when you aren't." she walked closer to him. "Dear. You know you can tell me anything."

Robin looked at her and forced out a smile. "This is something I need to handle on my own," he said. This was the truth. Marian's expression eased. "I shall tell you in due time," Robin added, "but for now— please bear with me."

She stared at him for a good long moment until she finally sighed. "You haven't changed one bit." Marian bent over to scoop Roland in her arms. "I shall leave you be. In the meantime, I will spend time with our little boy."

Robin raised his arms. "Of course." His voice sounded more nervous than he intended. "But… Roland—needs to wash his hands first. It's sticky from the ice cream." He took Roland from his mother before she could say another word.

He led his son in the bathroom at Granny's and opened the faucet before he finally spoke. "Roland, your mother has been through a lot," he explained, "Regina and I—that's our little secret, do you understand?"

He felt guilty asking his son to keep a secret from his own mother, but he told himself it was for the best. Roland looked up at his father as he washed his hands. "But mama will like her," he reasoned, "She is a nice lady."

His innocence made Robin chuckle. "I'll tell mommy about Regina, okay sweetheart?" he grabbed the brown napkins and wiped Roland's hands. "In the meantime, you can show mommy around town. Don't mention anything about Regina, promise me."

Roland nodded. "Okay, papa. I promise."

Robin planted a firm kiss on his son's forehead. "That's my boy."

He took his hand and led him outside, back to Marian, who was already mingling with the other Storybrooke residents.

"Leaving?" Marian asked.

A simple yes was all he could say. Marian leaned in and kissed him the way she always did when he left for a raid with his Merry Men. She giggled. "Well don't look too startled, silly." She teased when she saw his expression. "Go."

Robin stared at her, shell-shocked at the peck on the lips he received. Then he turned his heel and left Granny's without looking back.


	2. Chapter 2

Regina stared at her mirror intently, trying her best to compose herself. She still had Henry. Despite it all, her son still sees her as a hero. But if she was a hero then why, why can't she finally get her happy ending? Did she not save the town more than enough times to prove herself? She pictured the Charmings' happy faces, and she grimaced. The anger in her veins was coming back.

_No_, Regina thought. _For the sake of Henry, I can't fall into darkness again._ No matter what. She clenched the sides of the table in front of her. She pictured Marian's face, and the spark in Robin's eyes, and the fire inside her grew.

The doorbell rang. Regina stood straight, her reflection staring back at her with a puzzled expression. She walked over to the front and answered the door.

He stood there, with his bright blue eyes staring back at her with an unreadable look.

"Robin," Regina said, sounding more surprised than she had thought. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to speak with you," Robin confessed. His voice made her heart flutter. She'd never thought he'd look her way again, now that his first love was back from the dead.

She stared at him for a good long moment, until finally she stepped aside and ushered him in.

This was more awkward than she had thought. "Would you… like some water?" Regina offered, unsure of what else to say. Robin shook his head. For a while, they let the awkward silence between them simmer.

"Marian is back," Robin said.

Regina smirked. "I know that."

"She said the 'evil queen' locked her up, to be executed the next morning."

Regina nodded robotically. There was nothing she could have said to make this situation better. "I had no idea," she turned away. Now it was a little embarrassing. "I locked up more people than I could count. I'm sorry, Robin."

"I'm not angry, Regina." Regina looked back at him in surprise. Robin was smiling at her. A genuine, beautiful smile. "You're not the woman you were before. And if anything, you didn't kill her."

Once again, she felt comfort in his words. She stared back at those eyes she grew to love, and realized there was sadness amidst the sea of blue. Regina tried to mask her own dread with a smile. "What are you doing here?" she asked, "You should be with your family."

At this, Robin's face grew serious. "I can't leave you like this."

"But you said it yourself," she retorted, "You'd do anything to get your Marian back." Each word struck her heart with pain. "Don't you see? _This_ is your second chance." She smiled for him, the most genuine she could ever muster despite the situation.

Robin's expression hardened. "Regina. _You _are my second chance," he corrected her.

Regina's tears fell at last. "Do you love Marian or not?"

"Of course I do!"

Another pang of pain wafted her. "Then there's your answer."

Robin frowned, exhaling frustratingly through his nostrils. "It isn't that simple. What if Daniel came back? What would you do with _us_?"

Regina shifted her stance uncomfortably. After a while, she answered firmly, "I don't know."

Robin turned away from her. "Marian will always have a place in my heart. Truly, my love for her will never die. But…" he looked at her with sad eyes. "I've lost her. I grieved for her many days and nights. I missed her, I yearned for her. But my mourning has passed." He stepped forward, so close that Regina could feel the heat of his skin. "Now… It's like looking at a ghost."

Regina caressed his face, trying to comfort him with a smile. "There's no reason for me to stand in the way between your love."

Robin held her hand gently. "Don't sell yourself short, love. Do you have any idea how much you've impacted my life?"

Regina's heart tugged at his words. Slowly, Robin came closer, ever closer, until finally, he met his lips with hers. Regina's eyes fell, and she savored him as she kissed him back. That strange warm feeling she always felt when Robin's lips touched hers came rushing through her, filling her with overwhelming joy. She tugged on his clothes to pull him closer, not wanting the moment to end.

After a time, they broke away, staring into each other's eyes desperately. Regina grinned. "I have an idea."

…

Robin followed her to her lair, where she kept her magical items. She was holding his hand firmly, as if she was going to fall if she let go. He observed her. Regina had that determined look on her face, but Robin couldn't help but notice that she was trying to hide unspoken pain. She removed her hand from his and waved it in front of her.

A puff of smoke came and went, and instantly the table in front of her had a wooden box resting on top of it. When Regina opened it, Robin saw some items he had never seen before, and vials of different colored liquids. Regina took an empty glass, grabbed some of the items, and placed it all in the container. Then she took a green fluid and mixed it in with the rest of her ingredients.

"What are you doing?" Robin pried.

"I'm making a potion," Regina said. She sounded more serious than she usually was.

"For what?"

Regina plucked a strand of her own hair into the strange new liquid and continued swirling it around the vial. "It's to help you decide." She eyed the concoction carefully. Robin stood by her until she finally finished, turning to him and handing him the potion. "Here."

Robin looked at her suspiciously. "What is this for, really?"

Instead of answering, she gave him a smile. "A gift," Regina said, "from me to you." She placed it on his hand and pushed his fingers to close into a fist. "I guarantee it will give you happiness."

Robin glanced at the vial, then back at Regina. "You want me to drink this?"

Regina nodded. "Trust me. You'll get your happy ending."

A small grin formed on his face. She was quite the woman. How had she come to be known as the evil queen again?

"Thank you," he said. He was about to open it, when Regina held his hand.

"Wait."

Robin gave her a puzzled look. "What is it?"

She walked closer. "For now, this moment will be ours, and ours alone."

Regina grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. She took the vial from his hand and kept it inside his jacket pocket, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they continued their caress. He felt her hand sliding toward his torso and groped for him there. He pulled himself away. "Regina—"

"—Shut up," she ordered.

"Wait—"

She pressed her finger on his lips. "Ssh. I'm the queen, remember? You must do as I say. Now _shut up._" she pulled him in for another kiss. His tongue danced with hers while she continued to touch his shaft. It wasn't long before he finally grew hard. Then she yanked at his pants, undoing the button and pulling down the zipper with frustrated groans. She broke away from him. Robin stared at her hungrily, feeling the lust building up inside. Everything was happening so fast, but one thing was for certain; he wanted—_needed_ her right now. Regina grabbed his shirt and dragged him so that he was in front of the table and pushed him violently toward it. The box behind him fell to the ground, almost every vial shattering. The contents exploded with puffs of colored smoke, but at this point, he didn't care. Regina pulled up her skirt and removed her undergarment, then sprung at him like a tiger on a prowl. Robin was breathless. His heart was thudding in his chest, but he could think of nothing but the woman who straddled him.

Regina grabbed his hard flesh and positioned it between her legs. Robin growled. He couldn't take it anymore. He pushed himself in before she was able to. They both cried out, not taking their frenzied glance away from each other's.

...

Regina clung to his still-clothed shoulders as pleasure built up inside her while she straddled him. She thrust herself at him again and again while he held her firmly for support. He moaned out her name, _Regina, _and she ground him harder. Finally, Robin glared at her, pushing her out of him abruptly. Regina was about to protest, but Robin kissed her hard as he carried her so she sat on the table instead.

"My turn," he growled, charging his hard shaft at her. Regina screamed as the newfound thrill reverberated through her body. She wrapped her legs around him as he continued to pound into her mercilessly. Her hips rocked against him and tears streamed down her face as the feelings overwhelmed her. Robin kissed her, everywhere, from her lips to her neck to her shoulders, and her lust ignited again. The wave of her peak crashed over her and all she could do was hold on while he forced more pleasure upon her with each wonderful stroke.

Robin charged faster and faster until she felt him lose control. She held on to him at his climax, moaning with him as he poured himself inside her.

She kissed his mouth as he twitched from his pleasure, until finally, he broke off from her and sighed. Sweat gleamed on his forehead. Robin was staring at her looking surprised and exhausted while he tried to catch his breath.

"My—god," he mustered, "Regina, you… are… amazing."

She crossed her legs and held her head high as she smiled triumphantly. "I am, aren't I?"

Robin forced out a tired chortle, but couldn't quite recover from his ragged breathing. Regina fixed herself and stood.

Robin pulled up his pants, buttoning them despite shaky hands. Regina giggled. "You're trembling."

"You took a lot out of me," Robin retorted with an impressed smile. After he fixed himself, he pulled out the vial once again. "So… I drink this, and I'll get what I want?"

Regina hesitated. Her bright smile wavered a little, but she cleared her throat to mask it. "Yes," she said, "It will help you come to a conclusion on your… love triangle."

Robin laughed. "The love triangle _you're _in?" he reminded, "How do I know this potion isn't biased?"

Regina stared at him endearingly. "Because I want what's best for you."

There was silence between them for a moment, then Robin nodded. "Alright," he decided, "Thank you again, milady."

Her heart tugged painfully again, but Regina repressed the feeling. "You're most certainly welcome."

And with that, she walked Robin out the door.


	3. Chapter 3

"Let's go, Roland."

Roland looked at her mother with utter sadness. "One more, mama! Please!"

Marian laughed. Roland had just finished the fourth time riding an odd mechanical contraption outside what people of this world called a grocery. Roland told her this was a rocket, and it would move back and forth if they place a coin in it. Marian shook her head.

"It's time to leave, Roland." She pressed, carrying her child in his arms. Roland grumbled, but he welcomed his mother's caress. Beside them, Little John and Arthur a Bland were smiling at her in welcome.

"It's good to have you back, lady Marian," Arthur said.

John nodded. "Come. You must be hungry. Let's meet up with the others."

Marian followed them to the diner, where the rest of the Merry Men were. They each greeted her with respect, with a tinge of utter surprise. But there was something about the way they looked at her that made her feel there was something the Merry Men wasn't telling her. Marian took a seat in the middle of the table. The Merry Men's eyes were all on her. "'Wow," one of them said, "You're really back."

Marian blinked a few times and giggled. "I'm glad to see all of you too, alive and well." She saw Arthur on the other side of the table talking with a waitress to order them their food. "So what is it like in this world?" Marian asked, "Is it safer?" the words that came out of her mouth made her realize a flashback of seeing the Evil Queen when she first arrived. Marian's heart fell and her eyes flashed with fear as she added, "Where is the Evil Queen? Are we safe from her?"

At this, the men exchanged nervous looks. Marian narrowed her eyes. "What?"

There was silence around the table, as if someone committed the most heinous crime against her but no one wanted to fess up and say it. She turned to David of Doncaster, who was beside her. "What's going on?"

Their eyes locked onto each other's, until finally, David sighed. "The… _Evil Queen_, is… well, she has a rel—"

"—atively good persona now," John interrupted, placing a fist down on the table. David jumped at the sound, but Marian only turned her head toward her husband's lieutenant.

"Excuse me?" Marian said, aghast, "We _are _talking about the _same_ queen who held me captive, right?"

John nodded. "She saved this town. She used light magic to strip the Wicked Witch from her powers."

Marian's face hardened. "No," she growled. "I don't believe this. There must be something she's brewing in that little lair of hers. This is all just a ruse."

John frowned. "But it's true, lady Marian. She is a hero."

"She has a dark heart!" Marian retorted, feeling her blood rise. "There must be something she's planning. No matter what it is, she is a villain, the worst of her kind."

When everyone exchanged unsure looks, Marian's anger was at its tipping point. "Have you all been brainwashed? She is the most evil person I have ever encountered!" she clenched her fists. "What is it about her that you're not telling me?"

* * *

_Enchanted Forest, years ago._

Marian clenched her fists in an attempt to calm her nervousness. She was sitting stiffly with her wrists tied in chains as the queen's black carriage continued on to her castle. She bit her lower lip. This is probably for the best. If she died, she would do so in the honor of justice. Robin would be proud. She shivered at the thought of her husband. _Robin_. And her beautiful little boy, Roland. She held back tears knowing that she'll never see her family again. The carriage finally came to a halt. The queen's guards, who were sitting with her stood and yanked her outside.

The queen stood before her with an air of arrogance. Before them was a dark castle with pointy columns surrounding it, quite fitting for its villainous owner.

"What is your name?" the queen demanded. Marian didn't answer. Her adversary's eyes flared and she could've sworn she saw a demon.

"Answer me, peasant!"

Marian stood her ground. She wasn't going to let her push her around. Before long, other carriages joined the fray, taking out a dozen more of prisoners like her. Marian glanced around. Men and women of all ages, tattered and scared, were all chained like animals waiting to be slaughtered.

The queen paced to and from them, observing everyone with prying eyes. From Marian's peripheral, she could see the queen had stood inches away from a prisoner.

"Where. Is. Snow. White?" she said slowly, annunciating her words. The prisoner shivered, her faded blonde hair scattered all over her face. But she never replied.

"Tell me where she is, or I will show you no mercy!" she sounded so domineering. There was a sound of whimpers coming from the prisoner, and Marian couldn't help but glance their way.

"I-I don't know," the woman stammered, "P-Please, your highness. I have a family to attend to. A little boy of three years. Please. He is very sick. He needs her mother."

There was a tug on Marian's heart. She pictured Roland's cheerful face. If her own boy was sick, she'd do whatever it took to come back to him, but she also knew her efforts were fruitless. The queen was also a sorceress, evil, spiteful, and drunk with power. How heartbreaking it must be for this woman! Marian felt the urge to run and help her, as she always would have in any circumstance, but she resisted. Her family's lives are more important, and if she stood out, the queen might get their names out of her.

The queen's face was a permanent frown. "None of you are going anywhere until I have that outlaw Snow White's heart!" She walked away from the woman and toward the other prisoners. "Hiding her is the most heinous crime in this land. Do you know what I do to the people who defy the law?"

Nobody answered. The queen marched toward an old man and thrust her hand into his chest. Marian held her breath. She watched through clenched teeth as the evil queen took out the man's heart, glowing and pulsing on her hand.

"Your highness! I don't know where she—" the man gasped, clutching his chest with bulging eyes. The queen watched him with a sinister smile as she crushed the man's heart until it was nothing but dust.

Marian couldn't believe it. How could anyone be so cruel? The queen looked around. "Anyone else care to turn their heart in for a demonstration?"

Everyone turned their heads away, all but Marian, who glared at the queen with fire in her eyes. The queen approached her fast. "What are you staring at, _Nameless_?"

_Nameless_. It was better to be known as that than her real name. She refused to speak with her. The queen tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "You're a brave one, aren't you Nameless?" she paced around her, studying her, not letting her eyes off her. Marian had never felt so invaded.

The queen pushed her down on the ground. Marian glanced to her in time to see the queen taking a whip from one of her guards. "Let's do another approach," she announced, "Perhaps you'd like to save your fellow men. I'm going to scourge her until someone tells me where they last saw Snow White."

"Everyone, stay strong!" Marian yelled out, "Don't let my suffering deter you from your cause—Agh!" she winced at the piercing pain on her back.

"You bitch!" the queen roared. She hit her again. And another, and another. Marian was screaming as the stinging flared her entire back, tears welling up in her eyes as she fought through the pain. _Robin, help me_, she cried out in silence, _help me get through this!_

The queen continued until she grew tired, panting just as much as Marian was. As soon as the whipping ceased, Marian sighed. Her limbs were trembling, but she was alive. _Alive! _And as long as she was, there was still hope for her to see her family again.

"Take her to the dungeon," The queen ordered. Marian felt foreign hands grab her. Her head was reeling from the pain she was dealt with, but she refused to let it show in her face. When she locked eyes with the queen's, she kept her strength in her glare, as much as she could. To her surprise, the bitch laughed. Marian flinched. Did she find the pain of others so enjoyable?

"Scrub that confidence off your face, dear," the queen said, "Your stay in my dungeon will only be a night until we cut off your pretty head in the morning."

Marian's eyes widened. The queen seemed to be enjoying the horror she was evidently showing. She approached her closer so that they were face to face. "Kiss your hopes of seeing the people you love goodbye, Nameless. You will never see the light of day again."

Marian spat at her. The queen flinched, wiping off her saliva with one harsh stroke. "Get her out of here!"

The guards nodded. Then they escorted her into the dark castle, where she knew for certain her time with Robin and Roland had officially ended.

* * *

_Storybrooke, Present._

Robin stared at the vial Regina gave him, turning it in different angles as the green liquid swirled inside. There was something odd about the way she explained this concoction to him. Why was she so vague about it? Robin knew she was up to something. He stared at the pawnshop before him. With a sigh, Robin approached the venue with a purposeful stride.

The bell above the door rang as he opened it. Mr. Gold walked out from the back of the store with Belle right behind him. "Robin," he said. He placed his cane in front of him while keeping his sophisticated stance. "Well I suppose you were going to come one way or another. Now that your love life has gotten a little more… complicated." He cocked his head to the side. "If you're here for a protection spell for your wife to protect her from Regina, I can help you with that."

"I do not ask anything of that sort!" Robin exclaimed with a mixture of anger and shock in his tone. He felt this sudden urge to defend Regina's resolve from the Dark One. "Regina hasn't harmed Marian and I trust that she never will!"

Mr. Gold only smirked. "Right." He sounded mildly amused. As if he was saying something so naïve. "Of course not. What can I do you for, dearie?"

Robin approached the counter and placed the vial on the glass. "I need to know what this potion is," he said. "Regina gave it to me. She told me it will help me decide and get my happy ending if I drank it." Belle moved in closer as she and Mr. Gold stared at it.

"However, I am well aware that you require some form of payment," Robin said, "So what shall it be?"

At this, Belle smiled. "It's okay, Robin. You're a good friend. Rumple will do this for free, wouldn't you, Rumple?" she turned to him with bright eyes.

The hesitation in his face amused Robin more than it should have. Mr. Gold cleared his throat. "Of course." He waved his hand over the vial.

The green liquid glowed bright, bubbling evenly as it illuminated throughout the shop. The cap removed itself and a burst of fog sprouted from the vial. Within the fog showed glimpses of what looked like memories—_his_ memories, the fond ones, of Regina. Robin darted his eyes at Mr. Gold, who had that knowing look on his face. The fog sucked back into the concoction after a split second. Mr. Gold took the cap and re-sealed the potion.

"It's a memory potion," Mr. Gold informed. "To erase all the fond times you've had with our beloved queen."

Robin's heart dropped as his face distorted in shock. "Regina wants me to forget her?" he said indignantly. His head spun. Suddenly, the thought of losing her made him sick.

"Quite a martyr, isn't she?" Mr. Gold teased, "It seems Regina has decided it was best to give you back to your family."

"Don't say it that way," Robin scolded. His eyes stared at the vial and a low growl escaped his lips. "I can't believe she would do something like this!" he turned away, "Honestly, that woman!"

Mr. Gold took the vial and handed it to him. "Whatever it is you're feeling dearie, take it outside my shop. My wife and I want to spend our honeymoon alone."  
"Rumple!" Belle exclaimed. She shot him a warning look. She turned to Robin. "I know it's hard," she said, "But maybe Regina was right. No matter what, one of them will be hurt. And wouldn't it be better if your family is kept intact?"

Robin's eyes flared. "Doesn't anyone in this town care about Regina?" he snapped, "I understand she's done horrible things in the past, but she's done remarkably amazing things in present. She deserves a good future!"

Mr. Gold shoved the vial at him. "Enough, dearie," he growled, "You got what you came here for. Now leave."

Robin presented him back the vial. "I don't want this," he said, "I don't want to forget."

"I have no use of that. That potion is too specific for my tastes," Mr. Gold admitted. "If I were you, I would keep it. Save it for a rainy day."

Robin's face grimaced. "Why would I ever want to forget Regina?"

"You'll never know, dearie," Mr. Gold said, "Speaking from experience, the future is very, _very_ unpredictable."

Robin scoffed, but he placed the accursed potion in his jacket pocket and said his gratitude—and congratulations for the now married couple—before finally turning his heel to leave.


	4. Chapter 4

Robin shot another arrow at the bull's eye hanging by the tree trunk nearby. Each arrow he fired surrounded the center of the target, but never actually hitting it. Regina. Thoughts about her clouded his mind. He wanted to be with her, but things got a little more complicated.

"Hello, Robin." The voice of his late wife chimed in his ears. Of course, she wasn't dead anymore, but he hadn't gotten over that fact yet. He continued releasing his arrows, hitting anywhere but the center. "Hello, Marian."

He felt Marian's dainty fingers feel him from behind, caressing him up and down his chest. "You seem troubled."

Robin held his next arrow for a long moment. "Why do you say that?"

"I've never seen you miss a target," Marian said, "But tonight, you're hitting everything but."

At this, Robin chuckled. "Every shot I do is right on target. When it hits, and even when it doesn't." He released the arrow and it zipped to the bull's eye, finally landing dead center. He turned to his first love with a proud expression. "I told you."

She neared herself to him, kissing him lightly on the lips. "It's been so long since we were alone like this," she mused.

Robin raised his eyebrows. He knew Marian long enough to understand exactly what she wanted tonight. "It has."

She kissed his lips again. She explored his mouth, and Robin felt it—her love, her yearning for him. It was just as powerful as he remembered. And he just stood there, frozen, letting her get whatever she wanted. He didn't know what to do or think anymore. Technically, this was alright. This is his wife after all, and years ago he would have loved this. But tonight, it was different.

"Marian," he said softly when her lips briefly parted from his, "What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she replied with a small groan, then planted small kisses around his neck. Robin was about to retort, but she yanked him closer and started nibbling on his ear. Immediately, his senses grew alert, and a low, aroused groan escaped his mouth. She continued pleasuring him there, licking and lightly biting. This wasn't fair. Marian knew his weakness, his most sensitive spot that not even Regina knew about. Not anyone but his wife.

Robin's eyes fell, allowing the waves of pleasure ignite him. "Marian," he moaned, his voice huskier, "We can't…"

His answer was only a frisky giggle. Good lord, he had almost forgotten how much of a vixen she was. "Playing the virgin innocent, are we? I can go with that." She pushed him down the grassy terrain and began unbuttoning his pants. "Don't worry, love. I'll take good care of you."

His heart thudded wildly beneath his chest, from both arousal and panic. "Wait, Marian, please—"

Marian pulled his trousers down, grabbing his hard length as it sprung before her and took it in her mouth. Robin's head drew back, sighing out frustration as his wife continued to suck him up and down. The overwhelming sense of guilt coursed through him, taunting him like an unquenchable itch. "Marian, stop," he pleaded, but made no effort to push her away. "God damn, please stop."

She only worked him harder. Regina would kill him, surely. He thought of her, what she would likely do—and realized, isn't this what she pushed him to do? After all, she wanted him to forget her. She wanted him to be happy, to be with his wife. But did this make him happy? He looked down on Marian, her long black locks covering her pretty face. _Perfect, _he thought. She was indeed as beautiful as he saw her last. But his heart no longer beat for her. At least, not in that way. "Marian," he called again. This time, his voice was firm. "I'm sorry." He pushed her off as politely as he could, and they both got up while he fixed himself. "I can't do this, dearest. I'm sorry."

"I don't understand," Marian said, her brows furrowing, "What's going on with you?"

Robin looked into her bright, confused eyes, and the pain of what he was about to do washed over him. Hurting Marian was just as hard as hurting Regina. "A lot has happened, Marian. The years I thought you dead were years I mourned for you." He decided to start it off that way.

Marian's expression frowned, her eyes turning from puzzlement to fear. Robin had a feeling she already knew what he was about to say. "I love you, Marian. You know that, right?"

She pursed her lips, dreading for the bad news. "Your heart belongs to another…" her voice trailed off.

Robin didn't reply. At last, the tears Marian held back finally fell. She shuddered as she turned away from him. "I should have known," she muttered to herself.

"Dearest, please don't cry," Robin crooned. The concern in his voice was apparent, "It pains me to see you like this."

Marian turned to him sharply. "You promised me forever," she growled, her voice shaking. "You brought me to the altar, and gave me your mother's ring!" she presented her left hand. The ring he placed there long ago still encircled her finger.

"I know that!" Robin retorted. He stepped closer and took both her hands, squeezing them lightly. "This is the hardest thing I ever had to do, Marian. But—" he hesitated, finding his eyes blurring with his own tears, "—You cannot expect me to wait for a woman I've lost to death!"

He could see that his statement pained her more than he had intended. The same guilt he felt when he caressed her came rushing back. "I'm right here, Robin," Marian replied, "I've returned."

He held her face, cupped it affectionately. "I cried for you and yearned for you," he confessed, "Every waking moment, I loved you. Truly, Marian. But—" he blinked tightly and tears rolled down his face. "I left you there, amidst the mourning. Somewhere. Preserved. Could you really hate me for leaving a past I thought would never come back?"

Marian cried. Her dainty body shivered as she sobbed, and Robin embraced her tight, lovingly, caringly, until she calmed. After a few minutes, Marian sniffled and she pushed away from him.

"Wh-who is she?" she tried to smile for him.

She was trying to make things civil again, at least between them, so Robin went with it. "Regina," he admitted, "her name is Regina."

Marian's eyes twinkled. "Regina," she sighed, "What a lucky woman."

Robin chuckled, and so did she. Then there was silence, some mild discomfort. Marian sighed again. "I just want you to be happy, dearest."

A small smile formed on his face, and he took her hand. "I hope this does not sever the friendship between us," he said, "Marian, you were more than my wife—you were also my best friend."

She giggled, and he felt her squeezing his hand. "And you are mine," she replied, her voice still shaky. "If this is truly what you desire, then you must go to her."

Robin brought her hands up to his lips, and he kissed them. "I love you, Marian."

"I love you, too."

He stared at her for a moment, and he felt the need to give her a proper goodbye. Slowly, he neared himself to her, and gave her lips a sweet kiss, light as a feather, but a symbol of his love he had given her in the past. When he parted from her, he saw her tears falling again. "Go, Robin."

He held her close, their foreheads touching each other's. "Take care of yourself, milady."

Finally, he eased away from her, and dashed toward the direction of Regina's estate.

* * *

Marian watched him until he disappeared from sight, before trembling once again and sobbing the rest of her emotions away. She fell on her knees, hands covering her face, wailing, mourning for a love that she lost. Perhaps it was better she had died back in her land. It was the more desirable choice than to live through a life where the man of her dreams, her beloved husband, has moved on, his heart beating for someone else. His lips kissing another's, his embrace warming another's.

It may have been years since Robin has seen her, but to Marian, it was but a few weeks. And even if she knew of the time skip, she still felt that it was only weeks since she last saw Robin, weeks when her life was perfect. It was hard for her to accept that in a weeks' span of time, he had moved on and found another love. How undeniably unfair!

Her heart trembled, not knowing what else she could do. The feeling of loneliness overcame her, and she wailed even stronger. She stared at the ring on her finger. It was mocking her now, more than anything.

A strong, cool wind blew, and Marian shivered. She looked up, tears still streaking her face. Marian stood. She could hear a faint sound of a woman's voice deeper into the forest. Marian wiped her tears away, treading carefully closer to where the woman was.

Was it the evil queen? Marian gulped. It could very well be the evil queen, plotting something horrible for the town of Storybrooke. Little John's words echoed in her ears. _She saved this town_.

_She is a hero_.

The evil queen? A hero? Marian grimaced. The mere thought of it disgusted her. It was close to impossible. As Marian walked closer to the voice, she couldn't help but notice the temperature dropping. Each step she took was like another step closer to a bed of…

"Snow?" she uttered, looking at the white spots on the ground. How strange. Why would there be snow in the middle of the forest? It didn't make sense.

There it was again—the woman's voice. Marian listened closer. She was… crying? She hurried her pace, concern filling her. Was she hurt? Did the evil queen get to her? She parted through thick bushes and she couldn't believe what she saw.

Snow! She realized, falling from the skies. The trees and bushes surrounding this particular area was covered in white. Everything was white. And it was _freezing! _Marian clutched tighter to her clothing, rubbing her arms viciously. She'd never seen snow concentrated in one place before. There was a person there, in the middle of it. A woman. She had blonde hair tied in a ponytail braid that reached just below her shoulders. Her gown, a light colored blue, was flowing and bright like diamonds, glistening under the pale moon.

Marian's jaw dropped. She'd never seen anything like this before. She took a step closer, and a twig snapped. The woman jumped and turned to her direction. Their eyes locked on each other's. Before Marian could say anything, the woman threw her arms toward her, ice-like beams shooting and hitting Marian's heart.

Marian gasped, clutching her chest as she shivered from the cold tremors reverberating through her body. She fell staring at her own reflection on a frozen puddle of water, and realized a streak of her hair had turned white. Her eyes, once dark, were now glassy much like ice. She looked up to the direction of the woman, but she had already disappeared.

Marian shivered again, her sad emotions slowly evolving into something more. "It's… not… fair…" she murmured to herself, her expression twisting in rage. "Robin!" she screamed angrily, out toward the moon. "This world… is full of wicked people…"


	5. Chapter 5

Robin tilted his head up. Regina's balcony door was closed, but he could see a dim light coming from inside. He wondered if she was still awake, or perhaps she fell asleep with the lights still on. The anticipation of seeing Regina made his heart beat fast. He approached the nearby tree eagerly. He examined it first from top to bottom before climbing. This was relatively simple for a thief like him. When he reached the balcony, he peered into the glass windows. Regina was wearing a satin nightie, gray in color. She lay sideways on her bed fast asleep, with her blanket tucked under her arms and her legs protruding outside the sheets. She looked so utterly sensual, like a scene plucked out from a Greek myth. Robin took out two pins from his side pocket and extended it. Then he picked the lock silently. When the door unlatched, Robin crept inside Regina's room without a sound. He approached closer toward her, watching her chest slowly rising and falling. From this view, Regina looked so innocent, like what she used to be back when she was in love with that stable boy. He knew that much; Regina had told him a good deal about Daniel and the life she wanted before her pursuit of Snow White.

How could someone so delicate, so pure, be tainted with so much hatred and darkness? Robin couldn't believe it. He only wished he was there for her during those dark times, to hold her close in his arms and reassure her that everything will be alright. Maybe then she would have been happier. This beautiful goddess deserved love, deserved happiness more than anyone else in this land, or in any other blasted realms they get sucked into. And he'd offer everything up to her, his heart, his love, if she'd let him.

Slowly, cautiously, he moved to her bed, nearing himself closer to her. Then, he planted a kiss on her lips, gentle, loving, sweet. He held it there for a moment, savoring her. He felt her move beneath him. She moaned, her hands instinctively cupping his face. Her lips smiled. "Robin," she uttered. Then she kissed him back, slowly, sensually. Their tongues danced, and they continued for a minute longer until they broke off. Regina fluttered her eyes open. She gave him a look of surprise. "I thought I was dreaming."

Robin chuckled. "I'm glad your dreams are filled with such… _charms_."

Regina laughed, slapping him playfully on the arm. Robin raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Am I lying?"

She chortled again, such a whimsical sound. "No, I guess not." She calmed herself until her bright grin turned back to the far too common serious look. "What are you doing here?"

He glanced at her briefly up and down, then back to her eyes. "I chose you, my darling."

She gave him a pointed look. "You didn't drink the potion."

"Forgive me for defying you, your highness," he teased, "but I could not stand the thought of forgetting you. I'd be stupid if I had done so—you are a very special lady."

The statement lit up her face, but worry struck her again. "What about your wife?"

"Marian gave us her blessing," Robin crooned, stroking her hair, "It's alright, my darling. I'm here with you, always."

Regina sighed. She gave him an almost saddened look, the one she expressed when she told him she never thought she'd get happiness. "This is… too good to be true. This isn't real. I don't deserve this." She turned away. "Please, Robin. Come to your senses."

He remembered everyone's thoughts of her: malicious, greedy, jealous, _evil_. A woman feared by most. He grimaced. Regina was no monster, and of course she didn't care what other people thought, but as Robin stared at those pained eyes, he was starting to wonder if the constant berating might have affected her more than she wanted to admit. Robin gritted his teeth. Regina was a damn queen. She deserved to be treated as such.

"Regina." He called. She didn't answer. "Regina, sweetheart. Look at me."

Hesitantly, she stared back, tears in her eyes. The sight of them tugged hard on his heart. He caressed her face gently, and she welcomed his touch. Robin didn't waste another second to confess. "You deserve this. You've been fighting for your happiness for as long as I can remember, Regina. And this is your reward." And then after a beat, he said, "I love you."

A short gasp escaped her lips. "I love you too," she said, surprised at her own confession. She recomposed herself, saying those words more fervently. "I love you, Robin."

The overwhelming feeling washed over him, and he couldn't take it anymore. Robin's lips came down and devoured her mouth, something he longed to do the moment he entered the room. She was stiff beneath him for a moment, his actions shocking her. But then her hands trailed up to his hair, and she returned his kiss with a fire and passion much deeper and richer than anything else he had ever felt before.

Together, they rolled to the side and continued holding each other against the soft sheets. Without breaking the kiss, Robin slipped his finger beneath the smooth fabric of her nightgown, removing the strap and massaging her breast. She arched toward his hand with a small moan. Regina didn't resist as his lips left her mouth. He planted kisses down her neck until he faced her revealed breast. Without hesitation, he suckled her there until her pulse quickened and she cried out softly. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she tugged him closer, urging him to take more. Robin removed her other strap. She pushed her nightie down to reveal her other breast, and moved to suckle the second one while massaging the other with his hand.

Regina pushed at his jacket. He helped her remove it and they tossed it behind him in careless abandon. Then she went to work on his shirt, tearing at the buttons until she revealed his naked body. She glided her hands up and down his bare back. His body heat felt so comforting. Robin bit lightly on her nipple and she moaned out his name.

She pulled on him and he released her breast with a small popping sound. "Come here," she murmured, her tone low and seductive. Robin obliged, and his mouth found hers a second time. His fingers began exploring under her nightie, touching her very wet underwear. He pressed on it for a second, and Regina flinched, arousal hitting her with a jolt. Robin smiled as they continued their kiss. And then he slipped his hand inside her underwear and touched her. Lightly. Slowly. Robin caressed her, so slick and wet, and she shivered with a delight and anticipation more powerful than any magic.

Robin broke off from her briefly to remove the remaining articles of clothing that were on him, and Regina sat up to do the same. When they were both fully undressed, Robin dropped to level with her wet mound and spread her legs a little wider. Heat flooded her cheeks. He lifted his gaze and their eyes met.

"So exquisite, your highness," he murmured. He bent his head and touched his lips to her mound.

Regina gripped at the sheets with a cry of pleasure. His tongue lapped on her flesh hungrily, endlessly, and when he moaned the vibrations it caused made her shiver. As he continued, Robin slipped one finger inside her clenching sheath. Regina arced, moving her hips to him in offering. With an aroused growl, Robin slipped a second digit inside, thrusting his fingers in her slowly.

Regina cried out, her arousal intensifying as wave after wave of intoxicating sensations overtook her. "Yes, please. _More_."

Robin moaned in reply. He continued to lick her, suckling and even biting at times until her head thrashed back. Regina's fingers clenched tightly on the edge of the bed, and she couldn't help but cry out his name. He suckled on her harder. And his name escaped her lips once more, again, and then another, increasing in frequency as her pleasure mounted. The arousal pulsed in time to her rapid heartbeat. Regina craned her head up and saw Robin's mouth working over her in a frantic pace, and she nearly slipped into the edge.

"Please," Regina begged, her voice shaky, "Please, Robin. Take me."

He looked up to her. "Tell me you want me, milady," he growled out, his voice thick with desire. Robin thrust his fingers into her at a quicker pace.

"I want you," she cried out, her breath bursting from her lungs in loud gasps.

"Tell me you deserve this. That you want to be happy."

"For god's sake, Robin!" Regina growled, she shot him a glare. "I deserve this," she yelled, "I want to be happy. Now, take me, damn you."

Robin took out his fingers from inside her. Then he positioned himself, holding her body firmly as he placed his hard length against her slick opening. He rubbed it back and forth over her slit and she groaned. "No more teasing," she demanded.

He smiled with an amused expression. "As you wish, your highness." Robin entered her in one thrust. Regina gasped as he pushed in all the way. She felt hot pressure as he filled her, claimed her. She clenched herself around his girth.

Robin's expression twisted as if in agony. "_Fuck," _he ground out. "Keep doing that."

Regina's grin was from ear to ear. She had never heard him say something so improper before. She must have struck a chord. Regina obliged, squeezing and releasing as he began to pull back from her. Then he slammed forward and they both cried out as her body quivered around his. She stared at him hungrily. When Robin pulled back again, she saw his erection glistening from her arousal. He thrust at her.

"Harder," Regina ordered, grabbing his arms to support herself. Robin sped up, charging at her stronger like she requested. The bed shook violently while the room was completely filled with their periodic wails of pleasure. "Yes," Regina shouted, "Yes, Robin!"

"Oh, Regina," he sighed. Hearing her own name uttered so erotically heightened Regina's pleasure even more.

Her grip on him tightened. "I'm so close," she panted, "Robin, oh god…" her pleasure was teetering back and forth, it was driving her mad. "Robin, please… please!" she begged. There was a sense of urgency in her tone.

"Come for me, sweetheart," Robin whispered, thrusting in and out as fast as he could. She shut her eyes tight, waiting impatiently for the peak to hit her, closer, and closer…

Regina cried out, her body shuddering as the tremors of her orgasm hit, flooding into her. Robin slowed his pace and held her close into his strong arms. "Beautiful," he murmured. He locked his lips with hers. He pounded through her orgasm until his own peak hit. Robin groaned, long and low, his back stiffening as she felt him shooting out heat into her body as the tremors of her release subsided to casual twitches.

"I love you," he confessed as he panted, "I love you, Regina."

Fresh tears gushed out of her eyes. "And I love you, Robin," she replied, her voice shaky from her orgasm. "Now and always."

With a sigh, Robin collapsed to the side. He reached out and embraced her, holding her close to him as if she'd stray if he let go. Regina eased in her pillow. They both stared at each other, panting, letting the aftermaths of their peak take its course. As they calmed, Robin's eyes slowly fell, until finally he was sleeping. Regina smiled. She kissed him on the forehead. "Goodnight," she mused, and she closed her eyes to join her love in the world of dreams.

* * *

Marian staggered through the streets of Storybrooke with a permanent frown on her face. Ever since her encounter with the mysterious woman, the world has been anything but rosy. She felt it in her heart. She saw it all around her. The streets were cracked and uneven, buildings old and ugly, trees unhealthy, shops unwelcoming. And everything was glassy, like ice. Everywhere she looked, it was an ugly desolate glass. The people who walked past her were not any different.

One glance at them and she knew—they were horrible people. Men and women alike, with their distorted faces and wicked hearts. Marian could see it—every cruel thing they've ever done. And it disgusted her. Was there anyone in this world that was at all pure?

Her heart ached, and Marian shivered. As she passed by a shop she saw another lock of her hair turning white. She stared at her reflection menacingly. "Pitiful," she croaked, "quite the unpleasant sight, aren't you, Marian?"

The wickedness was everywhere, and she was no exception. But only one was the most awful. Marian grinned maliciously.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall," she chanted, "Who's the monster of us all?"

With a glint in her eyes, Marian roamed the streets, searching for the woman who imprisoned her.


	6. Chapter 6

Robin opened his eyes, still disoriented from the good night's sleep. A smile formed on his face when he realized where he was, and what happened last night. Slowly, Robin rolled over to the other side of the bed, only to see Regina fixing herself in front of the mirror, fully clothed and ready to leave. Her eyes shifted to his reflection and she grinned. "Good morning, thief."

Robin chuckled. "Good morning, your highness."

She walked over to him and gave him a kiss. They looked into each other's eyes as their lips parted. "I'm all for round two if you're up for it." Robin said.

Regina laughed. "I'd love to, but I have a date with Henry."

Robin feigned an offensive expression. "It looks like I have competition for your heart!" he moved closer to her and tilted his head to the side. "And it looks like I'm losing."

Regina pushed him lightly. "Oh, stop it," she said, "You're welcome to join us if you want."

He looked at her curiously. "Are you sure Henry wouldn't mind?"

Regina shot him a pointed look. "You're _Robin Hood_," she emphasized his name as if he were a well-known celebrity, "I'm sure Henry would be thrilled to see you."

Robin furrowed his eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Regina was about to explain, but she stopped herself. "Let's just say you're a legend in this world."

He touched her hand and caressed it lovingly as he said, "Well, then. I suppose I shouldn't disappoint your boy. I'll follow, milady." He kissed her hand. Regina's stomach fluttered as his touch lingered there for a while.

She pulled away from him hesitantly. "I'll see you later, Robin."

They held their gaze for a few more moments as he said, "Farewell, your highness."

Regina entered Granny's diner with a spring in her step. How long has it been since she allowed herself to feel this way? The way he touched her, the way he looked at her, the way he smiled at her, it had her breathless. She finally belonged with someone—someone who knew all her faults and loved her anyway.

Emma was sitting at a booth with Henry. When Regina approached, Emma immediately stood.

"Hey," she greeted. She looked worried.

"Miss Swan," Regina addressed.

Emma sighed. "Listen, Regina. About the whole… Marian thing—"

Regina raised her hand. "Please, Miss Swan," she said, "I'm in no mood to talk about this right now."

Emma stared at her for a moment, as if to decide whether or not to push the issue. Finally, she forced a smile. "Alright, then. Are you taking Henry back or should I pick him up?"

"I'll take him back."

Emma nodded. Then she turned to Henry and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Be good, Henry. And no more chocolate shakes for you."

Henry groaned. "Darn it." He glanced at Regina for a moment and sighed when he saw her staring back at him. Emma chuckled. "I'll see you later, kid."

"Bye, mom." Henry bade.

Regina faced her son. She took the seat opposite him. She momentarily glanced at the direction Emma was standing, but she had already gone.

"So, Robin Hood," Henry began, "Tell me more about him."

Regina's cheeks flushed. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she faced him. "That's quite a greeting. You're that curious about him?"

"First of all, he's one of my childhood heroes," Henry said as a matter-of-factly, "Second of all, he makes you happy. And I like seeing you like this. It's nice."

Regina knew full well that Robin Hood's adventures was Henry's favorite story when he was growing up. In fact, it was through his books that she heard of him and Marian. The thought of it made her stomach churn; Marian was regarded in all the stories as his primary love interest. It made her feel uneasy, but when she realized her reality, that Robin willingly chose her over someone the books insisted was his destined soul mate, she felt all the more special. "He's going to join us for breakfast, you know."

At this point, Henry's expression looked like she had just announced that she was taking him to Disneyland. "Awesome," he uttered.

Regina chuckled. "I thought you'd like that."

A moment later, Ruby walked toward them with a small pad in hand. "Hello," she greeted, "Do you guys know what you're ordering this morning?"

"Yes," Henry said, "I'll have the waffle combo, please." He looked at Regina cautiously. "Aaand… a chocolate shake?"

Regina narrowed her eyes. "How many of those did you have the past week?"

Henry pursed his lips. "Er… not enough?" he showed her a sheepish grin, the type he used whenever he did something he wasn't supposed to when he was younger. Regina sighed.

"Fine. But just this once, Henry. I mean it."

"Yes!" Henry exclaimed. Regina turned to Ruby. "I'll have the bacon and eggs, please. Thank you. And a cup of coffee."

Ruby nodded. "Okay," she stared at the orders she wrote in her notepad, "I got the waffle combo, a chocolate shake, bacon and eggs, and a cup of coffee. Can I get you anything else?"

Suddenly, the diner's doors burst open with Grumpy panting profusely as he scanned the entire room. Everyone's attention turned to him. "Marian," he wheezed, "Marian attacked us!"

Regina's eyes widened. _Marian?_ The maiden was a lot of things, but she definitely was not a villain. Henry stood in surprise. "Wait, what do you mean attacked?"

Regina frowned. It was so like her son to meddle with affairs much bigger than he was. Grumpy walked over to their table.

"I mean, _attacked_. She hit Happy on the head, stating something about him being wicked."

Regina and Henry exchanged surprised expressions. "I didn't know the girl had such spunk in her," Regina said. Grumpy glared at her. "This isn't a joke. She pushed Sneezy to a wall just because he sneezed. Then she punched him on the stomach."

Henry shook his head. "That's impossible. Maid Marian is pure of heart."

"What did you guys do to provoke her that much?" Regina seemed amused about this more than anything. Her attempts at teasing didn't deter Grumpy's serious face. "She's looking for the most heinous in Storybrooke." he stared at her up and down, and Regina's face dropped.

"Me?" she uttered. She felt her anger rising. "Seriously? What about Mr. Gold? I can do light magic now. I've more than proved myself."

"Not to her you're not," Grumpy said, "she was mumbling something about destroying the queen."

Regina sighed frustratingly. "This is about Robin," she mumbled, so softly that neither Henry nor Grumpy heard her. "Where is she?"

"She's approaching this way," Grumpy said. Regina stood from her seat. "Henry," she called, "Stay inside. I'll be right back."

Henry nodded. She gave her son a kiss on the forehead before leaving him to Grumpy's care.

* * *

"_Evil… evil everywhere,_" Marian chanted, looking around the city streets. The passersby were staring at her strangely, like _she _was the villain. Perhaps she was. After all, she herself had a wretched disposition. But so were everyone else. She glared at each one of the Storybrooke residents' faces, distorted and grotesque. The only perfection she could see around her were the speckled ice shimmering against the sun despite the rotten mess.

Marian continued her pace, searching for the one with the most darkness. She caught a glimpse of a figure stepping out from a diner on her left side. Marian turned to the direction and her heart beat faster in excitement. She grinned. "The Evil Queen," she announced as loudly as she could, "You finally show yourself." Marian moved closer to her to get a good look at her face. She grimaced. "_God_, you're ugly."

The evil queen raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

Marian was standing right in front of her when she said, "You heard me." she raised her hand and struck it across her adversary's face.

The queen's brown eyes lit with fury. "What the hell do you want from me?"

Marian glared at her. "To _disappear._" she shoved her against the brick wall and brought out the knife Robin had given her for protection. "Die, bitch." she charged the knife at her.

The queen brought out her hand and instantaneously Marian's arm stopped moving.

The queen laughed. "Do you seriously think you can hurt me?" she mocked. Marian spat at her face, and the queen flinched. Suddenly, she stared at her with obvious recognition. "_Nameless_," she realized, wiping her face. She chuckled again. "_You're_ Nameless?" she glared at her just as devilishly as Marian remembered back then. The queen frowned. "I should've killed you in front of those peasants when I had the chance."

She shot the knife away from her hand using her magic. Then she stretched her hand in between them. Marian felt her throat tighten. Her heart thudded in panic. She instinctively looked down. Her feet was lifting off the ground. She stared back at the queen, desperately gasping for air as the mysterious force surrounding her neck tightened even more.

"_Stop_," a strong male voice cried out. Marian and the queen both looked toward the direction of the voice. _Robin! _Marian yelled, but she could not utter a single word.

* * *

Regina's heart dropped as she saw Robin's bow and arrow aimed threateningly at her. She narrowed her eyes. "You're not going to hurt me."

Robin's expression hardened. Despite his attempts to be strong, Regina could see his hands slightly trembling. "Don't make me," he responded.

A jolt of pain surged through her body. But as she looked straight into his blue eyes, she knew they shared the same, gut wrenching pain. "Put her down," he ordered.

Regina hesitated. She wanted to voice out her resolve, that Marian was the one who attacked her. But how would Robin feel if his precious Marian turned evil because of his own decision of staying with her? She dreaded the hurt Robin might feel.

"Put her down, Regina!" Robin shouted, pulling back his arrow even further.

Regina lifted her magic almost automatically. Marian fell to the ground, clutching her throat as she gasped for air. Robin lowered his weapon and rushed to Marian's side.

"Marian," he crooned, attending to her protectively, "Marian, are you alright?"

Marian jerked away from Robin's touch. She turned to him, scowling. "_Regina_?" she growled. "That… _bitch-_" she motioned toward Regina's direction- "-is Regina?"

Robin flinched. Regina furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. So this wasn't about Robin?

"I thought you said she gave us her blessing!" she said.

"She did," Robin insisted.

Marian glared at him. "How could you do this?" she exclaimed, "How could you choose someone so… beneath you?"

Regina's mouth fell open. "You little-"

Robin shot her a warning look and Regina took even more offense. "You're seriously going to let her talk about me like that?"

Before Robin could respond, Marian stood and faced her. "I can't believe Robin would go for the filthiest, serial killing, _bourgeois_ in all the lands!" her eyes traced her from head to toe, then back up to level with her stare.

"Watch it, Virgin Mary," Regina threatened.

"Alright, _stop it_, both of you!" Robin intervened, raising each of his hands in front of the two women. He faced his wife. "Marian," he said, "What in the world has gotten into you?"

"My eyes had merely opened, _sweetie_," she juiced that last word with the strongest dose of sarcasm, "All my life, it seems I have been living with rose tinted glasses. And now-" she gestured around her- "Look around you! Don't you see it? The evil that's lurking in all of us! In you! And me! But, with _her_…" she faced Regina pointedly once more, "There's nothing so foul I've yet to see. She is the darkest scum out of all of us. She makes us all look like saints."

Regina rolled her eyes. Robin must have shared her anger, since his voice had gotten much more heated as he said, "Marian. I understand that you're feeling some grief, but I will not stand for this. If you continue to act this way, then we must sever all our ties."

Regina's brows raised in surprise. She eyed at Robin. She'd never seen him more furious than he was now.

Marian frowned. "So that's it? You're just going to throw away everything we've been through for a soulless creature?"  
"Enough, Marian." Robin forced through gritted teeth.

"But Robin-"

"-I said, _enough._" An abrupt silence surrounded the three of them. Regina watched as Robin and Marian exchanged cold stares.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Marian spoke. "I'm your _wife_, Robin," she declared, "the woman you vowed to stand by and protect all your years. And you blew it."

Robin turned away. "Come, Regina. Let us seek a friendlier sky." he placed his arm around her, but for some reason, Regina felt uneasy at the touch. She knew in her heart he still cared for Marian, and that deep inside her beloved thief was hurting. With a slow nod, Regina followed her lover and walked away from Marian.

A harsh cry erupted from behind them, and before she knew it, Regina was brutally pulled back. Regina felt Marian's ice cold hands whirl her around. "Homewrecker," she growled, digging her nails down Regina's arm.

"Ah!" Regina cried, yanking herself away. She stared in shock as the scratch marks embedded in her skin bled. Small, white crystal-like spots formed in the wound, and as they did, Regina shivered.

"Regina!" Robin cried. Regina waved her arm at Marian, and she disappeared with a puff of smoke. Dizziness came over her as a strange coolness shot up her spine that made her shiver again. Regina fell, but Robin caught her before she reached the ground. "Regina," he said again, more gently.

"It's okay," she crooned, surprised that her voice was shaking, "I only transported her away from us…" she groaned as her body quivered. She instinctively wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her arms violently. "It's getting cold in here, isn't it?"

Robin took off his jacket and placed it around her. "Regina, are you alright? Let me see those marks…" he took her hands. They both saw the blood now completely dried up, but instead of the usual brownish-red lines where the scratches should have been were clear, crystal-colored marks embedded on her skin. Robin felt it gently.

"This is… ice," he declared, breathless in shock. His head looked up at Regina and his line of sight moved a little above her face. "Regina, your hair…"

She darted her eyes at herself, and realized a good chunk of her dark brown locks had turned white. "What… what the hell did she do to me?"

From the diner, Henry rushed to her mother's side. "Mom!" he cried, "I saw everything. Are you okay?"

Regina smiled. "I'm fine, Henry-" she touched Henry's hand and he jumped.

"Y-You feel so cold," Henry observed.

Regina dismissed his comment and stood, with Robin assisting her. "It's okay, Henry. I'll handle it. I need to take you back to the Charmings, where you're safe."

"But… I want to come with you!"

"While a deranged hag is after my head? Not a chance!" she turned to Robin briefly, "No offense."

Robin shook his head. "None taken."

Regina hunched forward so that she can level with her son eye to eye. "You need to trust that I can take care of myself. Could you do that for me?"

She and Henry held each other's gaze for a couple of seconds. "Okay," he said finally. Regina smiled, tucking Henry's hair behind his ear, "That's my little prince."

She stood up straight and took her son by the hand. "Come on. Robin and I will get you home safely."

Henry followed and the three of them headed to Mary Margaret's apartment building.


	7. Chapter 7

**Poll: Who do you think will win over Regina's heart if both were alive on the same timeline? Daniel or Robin?**

* * *

He couldn't help but wonder what had just transpired a mere few minutes ago. Was that really Marian? _His_ Marian? There must have been something wrong. He stole a glance at Regina, who was a few inches away from him. Her hair had that white streak now, something Marian also had, now that he thought about it. He watched as Regina held her son protectively. Realizing the distance between them, he moved closer in an attempt to close the gap, but she casually avoided him. Robin frowned. So she was mad. He swallowed whatever comment he wanted to say, for this wasn't the time to converse about what had just happened. If he'd done so, Regina would have his head for speaking with her in that way in front of her son. Of course, he didn't wouldn't let Henry to be part of it either.

He followed them as mother and son headed up to the doorway of the Charming residence. Regina knocked on the door. It was Mary Margaret who opened it. She wore that look of surprise, and from her line of site Robin knew she noticed something was off about the Queen.

"Regina," Mary Margaret said. She glanced briefly at Henry. After a beat of a moment, she found her words and said, "We didn't expect you to bring him home so early."

"Something came up," Regina responded. A vague statement. Robin stood quietly beside her, only responding to casual hi's and hello's. If Regina thought it was best to keep the situation to themselves, then he would honor her wish. Not long after Emma appeared behind her mother.

"Henry!" she sounded just as surprised as Mary Margaret. Then she looked up, briefly glanced at Regina, then Robin. "You guys are-"

"-Yes," Regina intervened. From her tone, it seemed she has yet to mend the sore spot she now harbored for Emma. The Savior nodded her head in response.

"Right. Thank you for taking Henry back."

"Of course."

Henry turned to Regina and gave her a tight hug before he broke away from her. "Bye, mom," he bade. Regina smiled, hugging him back and planting a kiss on the boy's forehead. Robin smiled weakly at the sight of Regina's motherly actions. It was clear that Henry was the true love of her life.

Henry darted his eyes at him. "It's nice seeing you again, Robin." he said before proceeding inside with his other mom.

It was clear from the look on Mary Margaret's face that she had a lot of questions to ask them, but instead of doing so, she instead said, "Take care of yourselves, both of you."

She must have known. Known that there was something going on between them, from the expression on Regina's face or their slight distance from each one another. Regina nodded robotically. Robin held her hand and she jumped at his touch. "We shall," Robin replied to Mary Margaret.

When she closed the door in front of them, Regina pulled her hand away from his grasp. Then she turned her heel and walked away, ignoring him as she passed. Despite this, Robin followed.

"Regina," he called. She only hurried her pace but he kept up in toe. "Regina." he moved forward to block her way. "Hey."

Regina shifted uncomfortably, purposefully averting his gaze. When she finally looked at him, he instantly knew she had brought up her defensive walls. A sharp tug of pain stung his heart. She shut everyone out, always, but never him. He was always let in. But this time, Robin knew he was being treated like he was like everyone else.

"What?" there was a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"We need to talk about this." Robin said.

"About what?" she pressed, "That your wife has a personal vendetta against me? That you were ready to shoot an arrow at me just to keep her safe?"

"I'm sorry," Robin blurted out, the heat in his voice apparent, "I didn't know what else to do. You were choking her."

She gasped. "You're defending her?" she growled, "She was armed with a knife!"

"And you're armed with magic," Robin retorted, "What was she going to do? Nip you to death?"

Regina moved her head back in bewilderment. "Just because I have magic doesn't mean I can't get hurt," she shot back.

"I know that-" Robin said, sighing. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"Then what _did _you mean?"

"I just- I didn't want to lose her," he admitted, then quickly added, "And you, Regina. Both of you. You are both important to me."

"Enough of this," she mumbled as she darted past him. Robin exhaled a harsh grunt before turning to follow her again.

* * *

Regina hurried her pace, resisting the urge to shed tears. It was clear he loved his wife, of course he loved his wife. This was Marian, that maiden he was always paired with in Henry's stories! _Marian_! How could she even compete with fate? The pixie dust was wrong. Tinkerbell was wrong. Everything she felt, in her heart, in her soul, was all wrong. Robin Hood was nothing but a short fling. And now, it was over. She continued moving forward without looking back. Another look of that man's face and she'd surely bawl.

"Where are you going?" Robin's voice sounded distant as he called out to her from across the street.

"Gold's," she snapped, her hands tucked in the pockets of the jacket Robin lent her. "These scratches aren't normal. Something's happening to me and I need answers."

She heard Robin's sprinting steps as he attempted to catch up with her. She felt his hand grab her arm and she squirmed away. "Get the hell away from me," she demanded.

"Like bloody hell I would," Robin said. "I'm coming with you."

Her nostrils flared. "Why?" she shouted, "Didn't it even occur to you that I don't want you tailing behind me?"

"If you truly wanted such a thing, you would have opted to teleport yourself out of here instead of giving me a chance to follow you," Robin pointed out, stepping closer toward her. Regina fumed, her heart beating so fast she thought it would burst.

"For your information, I've actually tried that," she snapped, and she saw a flicker of hurt in his expression. She ignored it, "I can't. I can't use my magic anymore. Whatever this is, it's draining my powers, too."

Robin stared at her with fierceness in his eyes. "If you truly wanted to be rid of me you would never have told me where you were going."

Regina's cheeks went red in both embarrassment and rage. "It slipped, it didn't mean anything," she shoved him to the side. She saw Robin's smug face and she shot him a dark look.

"Stop that."

"What?" he sounded amused.

She lowered her pointed gaze. "_That_."

Robin chuckled. "No matter how much you want to push me away, you just can't. You're fond of me."

Regina grumbled. "You're mocking me."

"Who in their right mind would ever want to mock _you_?" Robin shot back.

"Well apparently the thief in front of me owns such a mind," She glared at him. "I'm still cross with you. Stop trying to win me over."

Robin feigned surprise. "My apologies. I was under the impression I've done so already." he gestured a half-bow.

Regina frowned. "And what makes you think that?"

A sly grin formed on his face. "Really?" Robin said, "Have you forgotten what happened between us last night? Or should I remind you how many times you've said my name out loud?"

Regina flushed with heat and she turned away, speechless at the mention of their intimate joining.

"Regina," he called her name so absently that it took her a second to respond.

"What?"

Mr. Gold's pawn shop was in the horizon, but he took her hand and tugged her gently to face him.

He stared at her for a good minute. Then he moved in closer and met her lips with a kiss so pure it made her knees weak. Her eyes fell shut. Regina wrapped her arms around him and desperately held him like her life depended on it. Robin accepted her, kissing her deeper. Regina felt his arms move around her waist, inviting her closer to him. She opened her mouth in welcome. They continued their kiss endearingly, moving their heads side to side as they savored each other until they finally parted.

Regina sighed, staring at him, cursing herself for letting this man take over her again. "I hate you."

Robin laughed, but then he calmed himself and said, "I owe you an apology."

Regina snickered. "Hell yeah you do."

He kissed her lips again. "I'm sorry," he said with the utmost sincerity. "Any moment that I've made you feel pain is a moment I regret doing. You deserve the best, and nothing less, my darling."

Regina caressed him gently. "Who knew the thief could be so cheesy?" she teased.

Robin smiled. "Who knew the relentless evil queen had a soft heart?"

Regina laughed. "...I suppose I owe you an apology, too," she sighed. "I let my own emotions get in the way. Even if she hadn't harmed me, I would have still harmed her." She saw him frown at the confession, but Regina immediately followed it up. "She is a part of you, Robin. You've accepted all of me, both good and bad. The least I could do is accept her for you."

He gazed at her, and then he eased. The pain from the confession seemed to have gone. At that moment, Regina realized that he trusted her so much that he would bet his own first love for her. He trusted that she had truly changed, that she would do the right thing from now on and not give in to darkness. "I love you, Regina."

Happiness overcame her, warming her heart a substantial amount, until the chills struck her and she shivered again. The tenderness in Robin's face morphed into worry. "Milady!" he held her close.

Regina saw another lock of her hair turn white. She grunted. "We need to get to Gold," she said, shaking. Robin nodded. He assisted her to the pawnshop in the horizon.

* * *

The bell to the pawn shop's door chimed. As they stepped inside, Regina gently parted from him. "It's okay," she reassured."I can stand on my own."

"Are you sure?" Robin said. Regina nodded.

Hesitantly, Robin let go of her and faced the front desk, but no one was there. "Rumplestiltskin," Robin called, stepping forward. He moved toward the interior of the shop. "Anyone here?"

Robin felt himself beginning to panic. What if he wasn't here? What would they do then? He proceeded further inside and found himself in a living room. Robin saw light coming from a half-open door. Cautiously, he crept inside.

He saw the back of a woman wearing a black velvet mini skirt with white tresses and a black and white blouse with a cross-ribbon design at the back. The cut of the blouse was low so that her shoulders and neck were bare. She had her long brown hair tied in a ponytail, held a duster on her right hand, and wore red heels to top the outfit that accentuated her enticing curves. The woman turned her head toward him. It took Robin a split second to realize that this seductress was in fact Belle. Her provocative expression turned into a horrified one.

"Robin?" she uttered. Almost instinctively, Belle grabbed the blanket from the bed beside her to cover herself, her face twisting in anger. "Don't look at me!" she screamed, throwing the duster at him. Robin turned away, his cheeks bright red.

"My apologies, milady-"

"Get out!" Belle exclaimed, and Robin rushed out the room.

"Rumple!" she screamed. Robin flinched. The dark one would have his head now.

Robin's heart sank when the door to the other room in front of him opened. Out came Belle's husband- fully clothed, thank heavens- with one of his good suits.

"That's no way to call the master of the..." Rumplestiltskin's voice trailed off upon seeing Robin standing before him. He looked at him from top to bottom before his gaze darkened.

"You have five seconds to explain to me why I shouldn't turn you into a bug."

* * *

Regina stood firmly as Rumplestiltskin walked out to the front with Belle tailing behind him wearing the most expensive robe she had ever seen. From behind them, Robin stepped out, his head low, and he walked over to her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What took you?" Regina asked, then she tilted her head to the side in confusion, "And why do you smell like bug spray?"

Robin shook his head. "No reason," he said. It was obvious something had happened, but it seemed that the thief had no intention of telling her. Regina decided to shrug it off. If it was worthy enough to be told, he would have told her so. Robin gestured toward Mr. Gold. "He needs to see your wounds."

Regina walked over to him and presented her arms. Mr. Gold took her right arm to examine it closely. Regina observed his reaction. There was a flicker in his eyes that could either mean something interesting or something bad was happening with her. Or both. Mr. Gold felt the white -colored scabs.

"Well?" Regina pressed. She could not hold her tongue any longer. Mr. Gold looked up at her. "I have good news and bad news for you, dearie."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Great." Robin approached her side, slipping his hand around her waist firmly.

"What is it?" he pried.

Mr. Gold straightened, prepared to lay on them the news Regina had been waiting to hear. "The good news is, I can tell you what's going on," he heaved a sigh before proceeding to explain, "This ice is a special kind, coming from only one source," he paused, observing her and Robin momentarily, "The Snow Queen, Elsa."

Regina furrowed her eyebrows. "Elsa?" she'd never heard of the name before. "Is she a witch?"

"Of sorts," Mr. Gold replied, "Elsa is born with the power to conjure ice. Our paths crossed once, but I'm afraid I haven't seen the full extent of her powers. However, I know enough about her to admit that she and her ice abilities are too complicated for me to fathom."

Regina sighed frustratingly. "What can I do to get this off me?"

At this, Mr. Gold shifted his weight, looking off to the side as if to ponder something. "Well that depends on how you got that on you, dearie."

Regina pursed her lips, growing all the more infuriated at the imp's nonchalant reactions. It seems that he has lost all care for anyone else other than the bookworm, Belle. She gestured her head toward Robin. "His wife attacked me and now I'm freezing like it's fifty degrees out," she snapped.

Mr. Gold moved in closer in obvious interest. "Maid Marian?"

"Who else?" Regina grumbled. At this, Robin gave her a look that made her realize she should cease her subtle verbal jabs at his other love.

Mr. Gold tilted his head to the side. "Care to describe her state of mind to me?"

"Hell bent on killing me, that's for sure," she responded, "She said I was the filthiest evil in all the realms, that she could practically _see_ the evil oozing out of me."

Robin finally piped in, "I know Marian would never do such a thing," he defended, "She is a sweet and kind person and would never hurt a soul. There must be something controlling her."

"And indeed there is," Mr. Gold confirmed, his stance more confident now. "Elsa is out there somewhere, roaming Storybrooke. And at some point, Marian came across her and had her heart struck in a frozen spell," The puzzled look on both Robin and Regina's faces urged him to explain further, "Frozen hearts are dangerous, dearie. The most dangerous thing Elsa could bestow upon anyone. When the Snow Queen's powers aim at your heart, you see nothing but the worst in everything you see. It drives most people to madness, knowing that everything and everyone around them has an element of evil, including themselves. Over time, the victim will become frozen when the heart freezes completely."

Robin's body inched forward, looking all the more worried than he ever was before. "But this can be reversed, yes?"

Mr. Gold sighed. "This brings me to the bad news, dearie. I don't know how to fix it."

"And what about me?" Regina chimed, "What did Marian do to me?"

Mr. Gold turned to her. "She has essentially latched her curse on you, Regina. Whatever happens to her, happens to you," Mr. Gold continued, "When Marian scratched you, her curse went into contact with your blood. Your magic will be drained away, and when she freezes, you will too. Fortunately, since Elsa didn't target you directly, you're safe from seeing everyone's evil."

Her face turned white at the realization of her and Marian's impending doom. Regina had not realized Robin's arm had drifted away from her waist. He clenched the glass table in front of him firmly and hunched forward, gazing intently at the Dark One.

"There must be something we can do," he said, "A potion, a cure. Anything!"

Regina joined him with the same determination in her tone. "He's right. All curses can be broken. There is always a price for everything that is magic. Nothing can defy that rule." She hoped this statement she knew all these years still rang true to her former teacher despite the fact that Zelena had clearly proved it otherwise from her time travelling spell.

Mr. Gold sighed. "I wish I could help you dearie, but now, I have more important things to attend to."

Regina's jaw dropped. "You're not serious," she turned to Belle in desperation, "Talk some sense into him!"

Belle jumped at the order, but Mr. Gold answered for her. "Elsa's the biggest threat now, Regina. I need to find that jar and imprison her before she wrecks havoc in the town."

Regina felt her hope waning. "So there's really nothing you can do."

"I'm afraid your predicament is where I draw a blank in understanding the Snow Queen's powers," Mr. Gold said.

Robin seemed to be pondering, this, until finally, his face lit up. "True love's kiss," he said, glancing at Regina and then to Gold, "The Dark Curse was broken by True Love's kiss, was it not?"

Regina brightened as newfound hope filled her. "That's it," she exclaimed, feeling giddy once again. She turned to Robin in delight. "Robin, that's it!" as she said those words, she remembered their kiss right outside the shop, and her heart sank. It didn't work. True love didn't work. Unless perhaps they were not meant for each other. She turned away from him just as quickly as she faced him. "We tried that," Regina said, "It didn't work. Our kiss didn't work."

"But perhaps if I kissed Marian, the curse would break," Robin said.

Mr. Gold piped in. "Makes sense, dearie. After all, this is Marian's curse, not yours."

Regina's eyes widened. Of course. How silly of her to conclude she and Robin weren't soulmates. She turned to Robin again. "Do you think it would work?"

"It must," Robin replied. "I am Marian's true love, and she…" his voice trailed off. Suddenly, his beaming smile faded, replaced with something akin to discomfort. "Regina…"

At this, Regina shivered, the now familiar feeling of Marian's curse consuming her body again. Suddenly the room had dropped in temperature once more. Robin approached to tend to her, but she stopped him. "You need to kiss her," she concluded bitterly.

Robin hesitated, as if he was still trying to register her words. "Alright," Regina heard him utter. She was surprised on how nonchalant he sounded.

"We need to find her quick," Regina decided, crossing her arms together to maintain the heat that was left in her.

"Where did you send her?" he asked.

"The forest," Regina admitted, "It was the first thing I thought of."

Robin nodded. "Chances are she's headed back to the Merry Men."

"Okay," she said, "let's go."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **Hello, all! I would just like to take this moment to say thank you so much for your support through your reviews, favorites and alerts! I am grateful for them all. You guys rock! Have you guys checked out **Letters From Psyche** yet? It's another Outlaw Queen story I'm working on, set in the past when Regina was still married to King Leopold. Anyway, here's the next chapter to **The Outlaw's Dilemma. **Happy Reading!

**Poll: How many of you are Evil Regals? How many of you are Hoodies?**

* * *

The Merry Men stood from their seats, shocked at the sight of her. They weren't used to seeing her like this, face twisted in unreadable rage. Marian's lips were a permanent frown as she stepped closer toward them, glaring at each one of their grotesquely contorted faces.

She couldn't believe it, how wretched the Merry Men truly were. This was so ironic. They, along with Robin, had been fighting for justice all this time. But one look at them and Marian knew it was all a hypocrisy. Their faces, scabby, their eyes bulging and red, their teeth like fangs, nails black, hair all unruly. This was how everyone looked like, more or less. Decrepit, distorted hag-like monsters. But the evil queen's appearance was worse.

She remembered when she saw her, hair dull and unruly, face scarred, eyes red like the evil woman she was. Her lips horribly cracked, ears drooping, like she had melted them. Her hands were like claws and her skin wrinkly. She wondered what Robin saw in her. She was as ugly as she was on the inside. Rotten to the core.

"Where's my son?" Marian barked out. She wasn't going to let her innocent son be tainted by any of them. The Merry Men stepped closer to one another, blocking her view from the rest of the camp site.

"You're not getting the boy," Friar Tuck remarked.

Marian growled. "I'm his mother!" she yelled, approaching him. The other men aimed their weapons at her. Marian stopped in her tracks. "How dare you! How dare you all!"

"Heavens, she's gone mad!" Alan-a-dale blurted from the side. The remark stung Marian. Out of all the Merry Men, she was closest to him. If it wasn't for Alan, she would have been wed to the man her father set her up for.

"I want to see him," Marian said, her angry tone unwavering. She moved forward. Arthur-a-bland released his arrow and it landed right in front of Marian.

"That was a warning shot," he said, "Don't come any closer."

Marian huffed. "Please." These men know full well that she was just as skilled as Robin in combat. She and her husband had been through many battles, and as such, he trained her well. Marian dashed toward them. Each men shot their arrows. She moved left then right, missing every attack with ease. She took out her knife and slashed the Friar's torso.

"Friar Tuck!" Arthur yelled, running to his aid as the holy man fell to the ground groaning. Marian lunged forward and nipped at the others, swiping their weapons away from their grasp as each were caught in her slur of attacks. Then she grabbed a bow and arrow on the floor and aimed it threateningly toward them. "I won't ask you all again," she warned, "Give me my son."

"_Enough, Marian_."

_Robin_, she thought, and she glanced to the direction of his voice. He stood there, behind a few bushes but he worked his way closer to her. Unarmed, and no Evil Queen in sight. "What do you want?" Marian bellowed.

Robin momentarily turned his attention to the others. "Leave us," he said, "Get Friar Tuck help."

"But Robin-"

"-Do as I say, Little John!" Robin ordered in a much harsher tone, his voice straining. Without another thought, the Merry Men scrambled to their feet and assisted Friar Tuck out of the woods. Robin turned his attention back on her.

Marian's expression hardened. When Robin took another step closer, she positioned her arrow at him. "Don't come any closer!" she growled.

"Listen to me, darling," Robin said, his voice gentle but stern, "There is something inside you that is consuming you slowly. Your heart is going to freeze," he paused and eyed her intently, and when he dared to step forward, Marian grumbled.

"Stop," she barked, "You traitor! How could you ever expect me to trust you again when you've given your heart to the woman who wanted to kill me?"

"Because you know I still love you," Robin replied. His words sounded so sincere, and Marian's heart trembled. He must've seen it through her expression, for he said, "You feel it, can't you? Marian, you always had a special place in my heart, and that will never change." when she didn't say anything to retort, he sighed.

"Please," he continued, "Let me help you through this. You are not well."

Marian's heart was beating faster now. Was this all a trick? Despite the anger she felt, despite the wickedness she could see in him, she knew her love for him was still there. Tears welled up in her eyes and her body shook in sadness. "I just want things back to the way they were," she confessed, and at this instant her held back tears fell at last. "Could you give that to me?"

His lips curled, ever so slightly, and in his blue eyes Marian saw the sorrow that was meant for her. "My darling-"

"-Could you give that to me?" she shouted. Again, her husband hesitated to reply. Marian sucked in a cold breath. "I thought so." Then she released the arrow at him.

* * *

Regina stood immediately from the spot Robin told her to stay in. She raised her hand toward the arrow, but the arrow kept going. For a moment, her stomach churned. Was she going to lose a soulmate again?

Robin moved away, barely missing the weapon. The arrow pierced through the tree behind him. Regina heaved a sigh.

Marian's face dropped. "_She's_ here?"

Regina frowned. "I'm not here to cause any trouble, Marian."

She only growled in response. "You!" she shouted, dashing toward her. From her peripheral, Regina saw Robin spring to his feet and throw the knockout powder they had asked from Mr. Gold before they left the shop.

Marian's eyes fell, and she collapsed in Robin's arms. Regina and Robin exchanged worried looks.

"Hurry up and kiss her." Regina grumbled. She never thought those words would flow out of her so easily.

Robin laid his wife down. Regina saw the pain in his eyes, how much he longed for her to be okay. No matter what he told her, Regina knew he will always be torn between two loves. It was as if he needed to forget one of them to be happy. Regina shuddered at the thought. Robin neared himself to Marian, and Regina had to turn away from their approaching intimacy.

She waited, for a beat or two, for something to happen. The frozen spell would wear off from her any moment.

But nothing happened.

Regina turned back to them in surprise. "What's going on?"

He looked just as puzzled as she was. "I don't understand… It didn't work." Robin gulped. "This can't be happening… She'll die!" Then, his face turned crestfallen, and he turned to her as he whispered, "_You'll_ die."

Regina gritted her teeth, her heart thumping faster at the crude realization. _She _knew why it didn't work. And perhaps he did too; he just didn't want to admit it. "It's me."

"What?" Robin yelled incredulously.

"It's me, Robin," Regina said again, "If you love me, the frozen spell can't break," newfound tears threatened to burst from her eyes as she added in a trembling voice: "You must forget me."

She trembled at the sight of Robin's anguished expression. "No," he growled, "I won't forget you, Regina."

"But you must."

"There has to be another way-"

"Robin!" Regina shouted, and he fell silent at her sudden outburst. "Do you think this is any easier for me?" she barked, "Do you think I _want_ you to forget me?" Her tears continued to fall. She turned away, sobbing at what she knew needed to be. She felt him touch her shoulder and she squirmed away. "No," she grumbled. "_Don't._" she turned back to him.

He was staring back at her looking defeated. For a moment they held each other's gaze.

Then, after another beat, Robin's tears fell from his eyes. "I can't…" he shook his head, "I can't, Regina!" he lunged forward and hugged her tight, as if he'd die if he let her go. "I don't want to lose you," his voice was firm yet trembling. Regina sobbed with him. With a softer tone, he mumbled: "I cannot bear to forget… my second chance."

Regina clung to him, her desperate wails muffled as she dug her face on his shoulders. He held her close as they mourned together. His touch was so comforting, yet it mocked her. She knew within minutes this would be nothing more than a whisper of a dream. She would lose him like she lost Henry in the year that passed, and she didn't know if even her resilient heart can take another dose of that kind of pain. "Robin…" she murmured.

"I love you," he crooned, caressing her softly. Regina moved to kiss him, savoring his soft lips, trying to be strong, for the both of them. He kissed her back with so much passion that she cried again despite their intimacy. He cupped her face in his hands, and she let herself feel vulnerable, as she always did with him. They kissed for what seemed like forever, but Regina finally mustered enough courage to pull away. Their separation felt like her heart had been ripped in half.

"Do it." she muttered.

Robin hesitated, but after a beat his trembling hand searched his jacket pocket for the vial she made for him. She watched in painful silence as he opened it, and he eyed it closely before looking at her one last time. "Promise me one thing," he said.

"What?"

"Promise me," Robin's voice broke, his tone dark with overwhelming emotion, "Promise me you won't give up on us."

Regina's heart trembled inside her and she gasped in a shaky breath. "I promise."

He smiled at her weakly. "I love you."

Her heart broke. "I love you too."

He turned away from her and stared at Marian briefly before finally bringing the vial to his lips and drank every last drop. Regina whimpered, shutting her eyes tight so that the excess tears fell. Then she looked on as a blue light enveloped him, erasing every fond memory of her.

It hurt. It hurt so much that she wished she made a second batch of that potion for herself. But now, she had to endure the pain, for the both of them, for the love they had shared, for the promise he made her keep.

Finally, the blue light cleared. Robin stared at Marian, bewildered. He called out her name, desperately, and then he leaned in for a kiss.

A wave of warmth filled Regina and she looked on as Marian's hair turned back to its normal color in conjunction with her own. Marian's eyes opened, gasping as she regained consciousness. She and Robin stared at each other in relief. "Robin," she called.

"Marian…" he embraced her desperately, like what he did during that fateful day at Granny's diner when Marian came back from the past. "Oh Marian… I thought I'd lost you!"

She hugged him tight, and Regina could tell despite her pain that Marian loved her husband. "Oh, Robin!"

They broke off their hug to share another kiss, a quick peck. They held each other's gaze for a while, until finally, Marian's eyes turned to Regina's direction.

Her happy expression turned to dismay and she scurried a few paces away from her. "The evil queen!"

Regina felt her heart almost stopping when Robin's eyes darted from his wife to her. This was the most agonzing feeling, witnessing her so-called "soulmate" see right through her, like she was a stranger. Then, his expression twisted in rage, and he stared at her the same way everyone else did. Regina breathed out a calm sigh despite the turmoil she felt inside. Robin was now _Marian's husband_. And what he saw in her was no longer a second chance, but a vile, soulless monster.

"You," he growled, his tone angry, "You did this to her, didn't you?"

Regina's eyes widened at the accusation. Robin took Marian's knife and pointed the weapon at her threateningly. "Stay away from us!"

Regina's throat tightened. "Robin…"

He winced as he heard his name escaping her lips, and Regina felt fresh tears coming back. Even the mere mention of his name from her voice was like a poison to him now. She turned away from him so he wouldn't see her cry. Then, the queen raised her trembling arms over herself and she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

As the woman in a blue gown wandered the forest, her memories began flooding back. "Regina…" she muttered, her voice soft as she continued chanting this name, "Regina…"

It was the only name she remembered as she wandered aimlessly from that barn. She knew it wasn't her own, for when she thought of this woman, her heart seemed to flutter in apparent anger.

Suddenly, the woman's blue eyes glinted in realization. "The queen," she growled out. Her fists clenched. Thorny icicles formed around her hands. "Don't worry, Anna," the woman mumbled in a slow, steady voice, "Your sister Elsa will set things right."

She turned toward the city lights and headed there, leaving a shimmering trail of ice behind her.

* * *

**Questions to Ponder:**

- What is Elsa's motive?

- Forgetting Regina: Right or Wrong decision?

- Favorite moment/scene?

- Other comments, questions, suggestions?

Hit the review section below, let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: **The previous chapter has garnered lots of questions! So in this section, I'll take the time to answer them. If you don't see your question up here, let me know in your next review! And again, thank you all for the support!

**Reader Questions:**

1. **Will Marian tell Robin about his relationship with Regina?** This question will be explored in this chapter.

2. **Will Robin lose the ability to love because he and Snow drank both drank a potion to forget their true love** (and we all know how that turned out with Snow)? I was planning to explore this on this chapter, but due to story structure, this will be explored in later chapters instead. Please keep in mind that there are also other memory potions used by other characters in the past and none of whom lost their ability to love others. (e.g. Regina uses a forgetting potion to forget she ever knew Emma in an attempt to become a good mother for baby Henry; Rumple uses the forgetting potion to erase memories of knowing about his son's death in the season 3 finale).

3. **Will we see reactions from the Merry Men and Roland regarding Robin and Marian's relationship and the lack of Outlaw Queen? **Read this Chapter and find out. :)

4.** Will you depict an Outlaw Queen pregnancy somewhere in the story? **No plans on doing so.

5.** Will Robin get his memory back? **No comment.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Regina appeared in her room, her broken heart hitting her with the worst ache she'd ever felt thus far. As if being forgotten by Henry in the past year wasn't hard enough, fate had to mock her once more and allow her own soul mate to do something far worse. Not only did he forget but he _hated_. The Robin who loved her, the "soul mate" part of him, was gone. _Erased_. Replaced by this man who saw her as a monster.

Regina let out a dismal cry, clutching her twisting stomach while her tears streaked down her face. Her knees buckled and she threw herself in bed. She grabbed a pillow and screamed at it. Then, as if to mock her, she detected _him_; the hint of Robin's scent, fresh, crisp, and earthy, like the forest. She remembered him; from the way he smiled at her, touched her skin, kissed her lips. She remembered laying with him, laughing with him, loving him. And he loved her back. But now, all she had left was the mere trace of him on her pillow.

She hugged the pillow tighter, whimpering, wishing in her heart that she could let go but couldn't. She screamed. Let something, _anything_, take this misery away! _Please!_

_Promise me you won't give up on us._

His plea echoed in her mind, and she sobbed more fervently. _Don't give up, Regina._

"Robin," she mustered through sobs, "But the pain… it hurts!" she cried. Her body shook and she all but mewled, "It hurts…"

She remembered his touch, so warm, so loving, and for a moment it comforted her. She knew it wasn't real, but she didn't care. "Robin…" she muttered, gasping in a breath. And she called out for him, desperately, over and over, but he never came.

* * *

Marian's heart fluttered as Robin opened the door and ushered her in with a smile. "After you, milady."

She giggled. She could barely remember how much of a sweetheart he was ever since the Evil Queen imprisoned her, so this was absolutely refreshing. "Thank you, dear," she said, and as she passed by him, he kissed him on his cheek.

He followed after her as they proceeded to the reception of the hospital. Robin took out what he told her was a "cell phone" and scanned through the screen. "Little John says they're in room A-113."

"Alright," Marian said, "Let's go see them."

She and Robin headed straight down the hallway and turned left. Robin casually caught her hand with his and their fingers interlaced. Marian turned to him and smiled. She could not be any happier.

"How's your head?" Robin asked.

Ever since her awakening, Marian's recent memories had all but blurred. She could vaguely remember what had transpired in this new land and what had happened for the past few days; the last thing she could recall was being in that nasty prison cell back in their land. For one thing, she had no idea how she even got here, in what Robin called, "Storybrooke". But it barely mattered to her; she was reunited with her husband, and soon she will be reunited with her child, Roland, and hers and Robin's friends, the Merry Men.

They proceeded down the hallway, then turned left. There it was in the right corner, A-113. Robin reached out for the knob and pushed the door open.

Marian could only describe the Merry Men's expressions as a mixture of both shock and fear, with a hint of confusion.

"Marian!" Alan exclaimed.

She didn't understand why they were scared. She laughed in an attempt to ease them. "Yes, Alan it's me," she said, "What's with the strange looks?"

There was a moment's hesitation before Arthur finally spoke up. "It's nothing, milady. We… are just very happy to see you. Right boys?"

Instantly the Merry Men agreed. Marian furrowed her eyebrows. "Alright, what's going on?"

She saw most of them stare at Robin. Marian turned to her husband. "Do you know anything?"

Robin's expression was just as dumbfounded as hers. "Don't ask me, darling," he said, "I have no idea."

At this, Arthur approached them with a slightly annoyed disposition. "Excuse me milady," he began, "But may I borrow Robin for a moment?"

"Of course," Marian said, removing her hand away from Robin's. She watched as Arthur led him outside the room. Marian turned back to the rest of the Merry Men. The men's unreadable expressions were starting to get disturbing. She decided to ignore them and walked over to Friar Tuck's side. "Hey," she crooned with a sweet smile, "How are you?"

The Friar seemed to be studying her momentarily, but after a beat of a moment, he sighed. "I'm fine, milady."

Marian's expression softened. "That's good to hear."

The tension in the room nearly dissipated after that, and soon the Merry Men acted just as accommodating with her as always.

* * *

Arthur all but snarled at Robin the moment the door closed. "What the bloody hell is going on?"

Robin's puzzled expression remained on his face. "I'm sorry, I don't follow."

Arthur sighed. "Are you really going to make me dig it out of you?"

Robin didn't answer. Arthur grumbled. "The queen, Robin," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "What happened with the queen?"

At this, Robin's eyes flickered in anger. "You mean the woman who almost killed my wife?" he asked, "Frankly, I'd shoot an arrow through her heart the next time I see her."

Arthur flinched. Robin tilted his head in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing, I just…" he stared at him, as if he was searching for something in him.

"What?" Robin pressed once more, but Arthur threw his hands up in surrender.

"You know what, it's none of my business," he said, "If you want to stay with Marian, be my guest. I just worry about what the queen could actually do to us."

Robin sighed. "Don't worry, Arthur. I won't let her harm us- and definitely not my Marian- again."

"Papa?"

Robin turned and his expression lit up as he saw his little boy. He had just come out of the bathroom with Little John behind him. "Papa!"

"Roland!" Robin exclaimed, kneeling to level with his son and spreading his arms in welcome as Roland ran toward him.

"Papa, I missed you," Roland confessed. Robin hugged his son tight. "Oh I missed you too, little man," he attacked his face with light kisses and Roland laughed.

"Stop, papa!"

Robin laughed with him. He saw Arthur walking over to Little John and murmuring something inaudible in his ear. Little John's face was hit with a dose of surprise, but it immediately faded as fast as it came.

"Alright," Robin heard Little John mutter. The two men turned to him.

"So, uh, Marian," Little John said, "She's inside?" he jerked his thumb toward the room.

"Yes," Robin clarified, lifting his son up as he stood.

"... Normal?"

Arthur hit Little John hard on the head and the latter grumbled.

Robin frowned. "_Back_ to normal, yes," he said, "Her heart is no longer frozen, but her memories are a bit fuzzy."

"Papa," Roland said, "I want ice cream."

Robin turned to his son with a smile. "Okay, little man. Let's go get your mother."

"Okay," Roland said, "Will Gina be coming with us, too?"

Robin stared at his son, confused at the foreign name. "Who?"

"Gina, daddy, Gina!" Roland pressed with a big smile, "Mama will love her. She's a nice lady."

Little John and Arthur exchanged worried looks. Robin let out a short laugh. "Sorry, Roland. I'm afraid I don't know who you're referring to."

Roland pouted as he crossed his arms together. "Queen Gi-gina!"

_Regina_, Robin's mind corrected almost automatically, but his heart tugged at him painfully as he remembered where he knew of the woman's name. It was back at the Enchanted Forest, a long time ago. He and the Merry Men had come across a village not far from the queen's reign. There, the locals spoke of their Evil Queen, Regina, who had killed most of their village's citizens. Robin couldn't believe it. Why did Roland think her to be nice? And most importantly, how did he even meet her?

His stomach churned at the thought of Roland in the hands of someone so foul. "No, Roland," Robin said sternly, "The Ev- Regina, won't be with us." her name tasted bitter in his mouth.

Roland's face was crestfallen. "But I haven't seen her in a while," he reasoned, "I wanted to give her candy." he shoved his small hand into his pocket and revealed a handful of them. Robin almost laughed. He could see it now: his innocent son, handing the Evil Queen a handful of sweets.

"No, Roland."

"But she bought me ice cream!" Roland protested.

Robin's eyes widened. "She _what_?"

"OH-kay," Arthur stepped in. He plastered an all-too beaming smile at Robin. "I apologize, Robin. You see…" he hesitated for a beat, but then he continued, "We've been taking Roland to the park, and he's been playing with Henry too much- the queen's _son_."

Robin's jaw dropped. "What?" he barked at them.

Arthur pointed at Little John accusingly. "His idea! Not mine!"

"Wha-me?" Little John exclaimed. Arthur shot him a dark look. At this, Little John grumbled. "Yeah… Sorry, Robin."

Robin's face hardened. "Listen carefully, both of you," he said, "Roland will not play with the son of someone so dangerous." Arthur and Little John were staring at him with bewildered faces, but Robin urged, "Do I make myself clear?"

Little John nodded. "Crystal."

"No harm will come to the boy," Arthur reassured.

"For your sakes, that better be true," Robin threatened. Then he walked over to the room. "Come, Roland. Let's meet with your mother."

"But what about Gina-"

"-No," Robin said, "Not a word about her. Understand?"

The boy's expression was utter dejection, but he nodded as he pursed his lips together.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I planned to include more scenes in this chapter, but after going through the story as a whole, I decided to move the extra scenes I wanted on here in Chapter 10. Next chapter will be entirely in Arendelle, so put on a jacket, and keep warm. Unless of course the cold doesn't bother you. ;)

Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Hit the review section below, let me know!


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: **You guys have made me so happy the past few days. I've been flooded with PMs, Reviews, Alerts, and Favorites from you all! Thank you so much for your support and kind words! Also, a couple more questions started popping up, so I will address these in this section. If you have any positive or negative comments, suggestions or questions, please feel free to hit the review section below and let me know! Happy Reading!

**Reader Questions:**

1. **Why is the potion selective on Robin's fond memories of Regina? **Kitsis and Horowitz (the creators of Once Upon a Time) depicted memory potions as being selective, so I chose this particular memory potion to be that way also.

2. **Will we see more of Elsa?** I would be very disappointed if we don't get to see more of her. ;)

3. **Why is Elsa's "freezing heart" ability depicted as turning Marian bad?** In the original fairy tale "Snow Queen" by Hans Christen Andersen, the Snow Queen's ice powers had the power to freeze people's hearts. According to the tale, a person with a frozen heart sees the wickedness in everything around them.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

_Arendelle. Years ago._

"Alright. Do it."

Elsa frowned. She couldn't believe she let her sister Anna talk her into this again. She was the ruler of Arendelle, for crying out loud. There was absolutely no room for error. And yet here they were, out in the open woods, where someone could see what she can do. "I don't know, Anna," Elsa said, "Someone might see us."

At this, Anna rolled her eyes. "So? Everyone in Arendelle _knows_."

"Yes, but there are still other kingdoms nearby," Elsa reasoned.

Anna grunted. "Oh my gosh, Elsa. Just do it!"

With a frustrated sigh, Elsa finally conceded. She raised her arms. Jets of ice sprouted from her hands, freezing the ground she and Anna stepped on. The surrounding area solidified, and before long that small part of the woods became a mini-winter wonderland.

Anna cheered. Then she dropped to the ground, moving her arms up and down to make a snow angel. Elsa laughed. "I thought you wanted to build a snowman."

Anna sat up. "I did, but this is more fun…" she threw a snowball at Elsa's face.

"Hey!"

Anna burst out in laughter. "Gotcha!"

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "You chose the wrong woman to pick a snowball fight with, little missy." She waved her arm and a barrage of snowballs shot out toward her sister.

"Ugh, no fair! Using your powers is cheating!" Anna whined. She got up and built as many snowballs as she can. Elsa dodged each successive attack easily. But Anna didn't give up, constantly creating snowballs by hand.

_This_ was probably why she gave in to Anna's wishes. _Fun_. Happiness. With her sister, after those many years of shutting her out. Her heart danced with joy as they continued their play. How long had she wished for this to happen? How long had she wanted for things to be back to the way they were with her sister? She remembered, as a child, they played like loving sisters should. They were best friends. And now, _now _it was finally happening. Everyday of their lives, they were joyous. This seemed impossible after their ordeal with her powers, but Elsa owed it to her sister to once again prove her wrong. It was possible to find happiness again. Not only that, but her rule in Arendelle was the most prosperous the land had ever seen. This, as her people called it, was the era of peace. And their beloved Snow Queen made this all possible. How perfect.

A twig snapped on a nearby tree. Elsa stood rigidly, her body tensing. What was that? An intruder? Anna's snowball splat on her face.

"Hah!" Anna cried as her snowball hit. "I got you! I got-"

"-Ssh, someone's here," Elsa turned toward the green trees. Slowly, she crept toward it. Who could this be? With a nervous sigh, Elsa readied her powers and pounced.

The woman behind gasped, her dark brown eyes staring back at her in shock. The woman wore a hood over her long ebony hair. Her red lips fell apart, and her skin was so pale she would have blended with the snow. Elsa immediately recognized her. She was one of the royals in attendance during her coronation day, the beautiful princess from the closest kingdom to Arendelle.  
"Snow White!"

The shock immediately left Snow's face and she grabbed Elsa by the arms with a sense of urgency. "Queen Elsa, please. You've got to help me. Regina's guards are close to finding me!"

Anna ran towards them. "What's going on?"

Elsa cursed in her head, knowing full well that Anna's interference would make this all the more complicated. "Nothing," she spat, her eyes narrowing as she pulled away from Snow, "We're leaving." she turned her back on the runaway princess.

"_Wait, _Elsa," Anna said.

"C'mon, Anna," Elsa muttered through gritted teeth, "Let's go home." Elsa took Anna's wrist but she yanked herself away.

"We need to help her," Anna declared. "Look, she's hurt!" Anna ran to Snow's side and gestured toward the wound she was referring to. Elsa eyed Snow again and realized the clothes above her right waist was stained with blood. Snow covered it as if it was something to be embarrassed about. "This is nothing," she said, "I just need a place to hide for the night."

Anna smiled at the princess reassuringly. "Don't worry. Our palace has lots of rooms to accommodate you."

Elsa's heart dropped. "Anna!"

Her younger sister shot her a warning look. Elsa sighed frustratingly. She yanked Anna away from Snow. "Can I talk to you in private?" Elsa grumbled, but she didn't wait for her sister to respond.

Elsa led Anna a few paces away, far enough so Snow couldn't hear them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Elsa began.

"We need to help her," Anna said, "You and I both know what's happening in her kingdom."

"I know," Elsa agreed, "Which is why I've severed all ties with them, trade routes and other properties. It's a miracle she was even able to cross Arendelle borders!"

"But she needs our help!" Anna reasoned, "Are we really going to turn away someone in need?"

Anna's eyes were as fierce as her tone. Truly, Anna wanted to help, and her resolve was always tough to sway the moment she'd decided on something. Unfortunately for her, so was she. "We can't house her, Anna." Elsa said, "Arendelle has been invisible from Queen Regina's reign of terror and I intend to keep it that way. She doesn't know we even exist. Peace is maintained here. We're not helping a wanted fugitive."

"But-"

"-That's final, Anna!" Elsa roared. Anna stared at her sister in wide-eyed shock. The tension that had been escalating between them finally burst out. Anna sighed.

"I can't believe you." Anna mumbled, walking over to Snow.

Elsa frowned. Her sister never learned when to listen! "Where are you going?"

Anna turned to her. "I'm going to help Snow whether you like it or not. I'll take her to the abandoned cabin. I'll be back before dinner." Anna faced Snow. "Are you alright?" her tone was softer, "Follow me."

Elsa watched them leave, torn between her ideals and her sister's. Keeping the peace in Arendelle was top priority. How could Anna not see that? With a frustrated sigh, Elsa stormed back to the palace, the area of snow she'd build for them reverting back to normal.

* * *

As time passed, Elsa couldn't help but grow worried. It was almost dinner time and Anna hasn't come back. Did she lose her way? Did someone ambush them? Elsa shuddered at the horrible thoughts. No. She probably lost track of time while being with Princess Snow. Nevertheless, Elsa's concern won over and she left to cross the borders of Arendelle.

She hurried her pace. It was a night darker than most. If Anna had indeed been lost, she'd surely not be able to find her way back. Elsa rummaged through the bushes and grumbled every time she felt them scratching on her. Oh, the things she would go through for her sister! If she had listened to her in the first place, if she had only obeyed, they would both be enjoying a nice dinner right now. Elsa continued her trek toward a slightly uphill slope. Just over this hill, she knew, was the cabin Anna had been talking about.

They found this cabin in the woods when they were younger, back when they played more. Back when everything wasn't so complicated. The thought of Anna's smiling face as she urged her to keep going through the woods made Elsa smile.

The cabin finally came into full view, and the warmth she felt from the beautiful memory was pushed out, replaced by a twisting, uncomfortable fear. There, a number of black uniformed soldiers had already surrounded the area. Soldiers she had never seen before, but Elsa assumed they were Queen Regina's. "Anna!" Elsa exclaimed. Fear seeped into her as she ran toward the cabin. Where was Anna? Had she been caught? Was she too late? If something happened to her… Elsa didn't even want to think what she'd do.

A voice from an angry soldier sliced through the air: "_Princess Snow is gone. This woman helped her escape!_"

Elsa heard her sister's short grunts echoing throughout the woods as a soldier dragged her out of the cabin.

The sight of it got Elsa's blood boiling. "Let her go!" she bellowed.

A few soldiers turned heads as she ran toward them. Anna gasped. "Elsa?"

Elsa shot a jet of ice to one direction, then another in the opposite side. Several men were down, but the remaining soldiers surrounded her as they drew their swords.

"_She's a witch!_"

"_A sorceress!_"

"_Get her!_"

Elsa made a lifting motion. An ice wall rose from the ground, shielding her from impending attacks. She spun around sharply, unleashing another burst of ice. She felt a stinging pain from behind her and she instinctively whirled around and blasted her attacker with clear colored spikes.

She heard metallic rattling. Something wrapped around her, something cold and hard. She looked down at herself and realized the chains had restricted her movement. Elsa screamed, unleashing a burst of sonic ice energy. She heard Anna calling out for her, telling her to stop, to calm down, but her powers were taking over. She continued unleashing chilled blasts with force as powerful as the rage inside her, but a sharp pain hit her head, and her vision blurred.  
She heard Anna screaming, but it was nothing more than a far echo now. Elsa fought hard to stay alert, but consciousness eventually escaped her.

…

"Anna!"

Elsa sprung awake. The moonlight was shining down the bleak night. She looked around sharply. She was by the cabin, but there was no one in sight.

"Anna!" she called again, desperately. She attempted to stand, but realized the chains that bound her had reached its limit. Elsa tugged hard, the panic she felt from before filling her.

She couldn't help but imagine the worst. Queen Regina's reign of terror reached even the ears of the people of Arendelle, though to them they were just rumors. Elsa hoped it was just that. _Rumors_.  
She tugged harder, once more. Her hands emitted ice as she continued to struggle. _Come on, come on!_

The chains that bound her started chipping. Elsa roared, exerting one final effort to escape. The restraints shattered. Elsa ran, deeper into the woods, toward Regina's kingdom. Arendelle's peace was at stake, but all Elsa could think about was her sister's safety.

_Anna, please. Please be okay._

She had no clue how long she had been knocked out. It could have been hours, it could have been days. And who knows what they've done to her sister by now.

Elsa's heart threatened to burst out of her chest when she finally had a good view of Queen Regina's kingdom. There was a burning smell that wafted the air, coming from the main square. She separated branches that obscured her view to get a closer look. Citizens had gathered around, for some sort of assembly, she thought, but as Elsa looked on, she realized it was a gathering for an execution.

There was someone tied to a pole surrounded in hay, someone who'd already been burning for some time.

"By the order of our Queen," the man on stage announced, "we have sentenced this woman to be executed, for harboring the fugitive, Snow White."

Elsa's heart dropped. This can't be. The color drained from Elsa's face. "No..."

"Let this be a lesson to all of you." the man roared.

Elsa stared at the burning body. She tried to find something, _anything_, that would prove to her that this poor woman was not her sister. She refused to believe.

Until Elsa's eyes dropped, and saw, at the center of the stage, Anna's clothes, horribly tattered. Her heart sank. The man was holding a bloodied whip- did they strip her naked in front of these people and whipped her before they burned her? A massive lump caught on her throat, her veins rigid in utter horror. _This can't be happening. _Finally, she found her voice.

Elsa screamed, her knees trembling and she fell in despair. She couldn't believe what just happened.

Hatred filled her veins as quickly as the ice inside her oozed out. Everything around her, from the grass to the branches of the tree inches away, froze. Icicle spikes conjured themselves as Elsa's anger overcame her. "Regina…" Elsa growled, adrenalin straining her voice. Her clenched fists glowed white and she stood up. She flicked her right hand. The ice that built up there transformed itself into a sharp dagger. Elsa moved forward toward the queen's castle. It barely mattered what happened to her now. Anna needed to be avenged, and on the night of her death, Elsa will do just that.

A mocking high-pitched laugh came from behind her. Elsa spun around sharply. There, standing confidently by the frozen trees, stood a man or someone who somewhat resembled a man, with reptile-like skin and chaotic curled hair. His eyes were so dark and almost hollow, that the way he gazed at her brought shivers up her spine. Despite this, an uncanny smile formed on his face. "Well well well, dearie. It seems you have quite a situation here."

Elsa shot her powers toward the man, but when he brought up his hand, her ice dissolved quickly into mist. She gasped as he laughed at her again. "How rude. Considering of course that I was trying to offer you-" his voice went up like a gnome, "-my services!"

Elsa narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"

The man gestured himself to bow. "Rumplestiltskin." The moment he said his name, he vanished. "At your service." his voice came from behind her, closer than she'd expected. Elsa jumped at the surprise as she turned toward him. He grinned again. "I know what you want, dearie."

At this, Elsa let out an incredulous chuckle. "I highly doubt you can help me."

Rumplestiltskin's eyes glinted at the challenge. "Not even a chance to see your sister alive?"

Elsa's jaw dropped at the question. "Impossible," she said, breathless, "I saw her die with my own eyes!" the statement she wasn't expecting to say so soon made her heart tremble, and again, her sadness overcame her. Her powers began to resurface, but Elsa sucked in a sharp intake of breath and sighed. "I've spent many years trying to bring my parents back from the dead. This feat is impossible."

"Impossible?" the mysterious man repeated. He paced around her, observing her, like a predator about to pounce on his prey. Elsa stood her ground. She wasn't going to let a random man break her. "I've been watching you for some time, dearie," Rumplestiltskin confessed, "And I've seen what you can do."

She glared at him. "What could my powers possibly have anything to do with bringing back the dead?"

Again, the smirk on the man's face surfaced in his grimy features. "It's not about _bringing back_ the dead, dearie." he dared to step closer to her until his mouth was almost directly an inch away from her ear. "It's about _re-assigning_ the departed to live."

Hope flooded Elsa's face. She turned her head to him. "You mean… reincarnation?"

Rumplestiltskin nodded his head slowly. "Your powers can assign life. Life that, without you, will have no way of even existing."

Elsa's heart skipped a beat. "So you can help me," she said, "bring my sister back?"

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. "I'll see what I can do."

Her anger came flooding back. "_See what you can do?_" she bellowed, her fists forming spiked icicles once again, "I need more than an empty promise. This is my sister's life."

"And I am all you've got," he countered, his tone cool despite her threats, "so if you ever want to see your sister again, you need to put some faith in me." he flicked his wrist and a long parchment appeared in his hand.

Elsa furrowed her brows. "What's this?"

"A contract," Rumplestiltskin said, "I will do everything I can to get your sister back, if you will do whatever it takes to help me with what I want."

_A catch_, Elsa thought. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. "And what is it that you want?"

Rumplestiltskin laughed. "To understand you, of course!" he said, "Your powers intrigue me. You have the ability to give life. That's never been done before."

So this is what he wanted. To have her be his guinea pig in whatever it is he wanted with her abilities. Elsa thought of what this man might do to her, or worse, to Arendelle, and she cringed. He must have sensed her hesitation, for he said: "How far are you willing to go to see your precious sister again?"

The turmoil inside her continued to swirl. She thought of Anna, her beautiful cheery face, and wondered if there was ever a chance like this to bring her back, to see that smile again. Finally, with a defeated sigh, she turned to Rumplestiltskin. "Where do I sign?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** For those of you OUAT fans who are residents of Storybrooke in **Storybrooke** **Live, **please let yourselves be known! Follow me (and let me know on your next review)! My "cursed" persona is named, "**Rukie Moon**". See you in Storybrooke, Oncers!

* * *

Regina was awake, but she kept her eyes closed. It was still sore from her last night bawl. How pathetic of her to even think she had a chance at happiness. To even open up to such a man! Regina sighed. What was she expecting, really? From the moment Marian was brought back to life, she knew for sure her relationship with Robin had already ended. So why, _why_ would she want to torture herself this much?

"And look where it got you," Regina mumbled, her voice low and a little garbled. She had not sounded this spiteful in a while.

It took a moment for her to realize the sound of her doorbell ringing. Regina sighed again, much more frustratingly. Whoever this person was, he or she needed to go away. She was not in the mood. She ignored the first ring, but the person persisted.

Regina shook her head. There was no getting past this man or woman, whoever this may be. Regina got up from her bed and flicked her finger. A puff of smoke surrounded her briefly. As it cleared, she stared at the mirror beside her. Perfect. No one would suspect that she was such a mess when she looked _this _good. With a final exhale, Regina put on a Mayor-esque smile before finally answering the door.

Her eyes widened in surprise, but as her mind processed who the person was, she realized this woman had to visit her sooner or later anyway.

"Regina," Mary Margaret began, her voice full of concern.

What is it with this woman and her penchant for helping others? Did she not realize she wanted to be alone? Regina's smile faded and she rolled her eyes. "Of course…"

"We were getting worried," Mary Margaret added, "We haven't seen you, and… well… we've seen Robin with M-"

"-I _know_," Regina spat, "I know what's going on, Ms. Blanchard. You need not remind me of it." the pointed remark did not faze Mary Margaret in the least.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She supposed there was no harm in doing so. After all, if she had said no, Mary Margaret would press her even more until she finally agreed.

"Come in."

Mary Margaret walked inside and Regina closed the door behind her.

Regina situated her former enemy and offered her something to drink. Water was her response, and so Regina disappeared briefly to get her a glass.

Regina sat herself opposite her and watched her drink the beverage. Mary Margaret's eyes were on her this whole time, as if she was trying to look for something in her face. "So what happened?" Mary Margaret asked as she finally set down her drink.

Regina's gaze fell toward the table as she replied, "Isn't it obvious? Things just didn't work out."

There was a slight hesitance coming from Mary Margaret before she finally responded. "Tell me what actually happened."

Regina looked up and gave her a death glare. "That _is_ what happened," she pressed angrily, "What do you expect me to say? That magic was somehow at work here? That I didn't want _my _own happiness? Please. I've told you time and again: I take away other people's happiness, not mine." she turned away. Hopefully, this was enough for Mary Margaret to walk out. But when she glanced at her, it didn't seem like she was at all satisfied.

"Regina I know true love when I see it," she replied, "And what you had with Robin was special."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Don't you see what's going on here?" she bellowed, "Marian is his _wife_, Snow. His long lost true love. The damn woman is in every Robin Hood story in Henry's books. _She'_s his true love. Not me. This is what's best for him."

At this, Mary Margaret's eyes glinted at a sudden realization. "You made him forget you…" she uttered.

Regina's jaw tightened. She looked away again, this time feeling a tinge of guilt.

"Regina, you shouldn't have. This isn't fair to you. _Or_ him!"

"And why _not_?" Regina shouted, "You have no idea what happened between me and Robin." she forced a sly grin, "Did it ever occur to you that he started hating me for killing his wife? That he couldn't get over the fact that I was the Evil Queen?" she let her words sink in a bit; every lie she was spitting out were like poisoned darts striking her heart. "The man was awful, _god_ awful! He didn't accept me for who I was. And so, Snow, I made him forget. It was getting too complicated."

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes. "I truly wish you know what you're doing, Regina," she said, "And I hope in the end, you'd stop trying to hurt your heart."

"What I do with my heart is none of your concern," Regina snapped.

"You've suffered _so_ much," she continued, "I don't think you could take any more beatings. And frankly, it's hurting people around you. People who love you."

Regina's lips curled. "Henry?" her voice softened, "Henry, is he okay?"

"He saw Robin with Marian," Mary Margaret replied, "He saw their happiness, and he knew something was up. With you and him."

Regina shook her head. "It's fine," she muttered, "_I'm_ fine. Please tell Henry that."

"Really?" Mary Margaret frowned, "Because I don't want to lie to him. He's a smart boy. He knows what's going on."

Regina fell silent. Thoughts of Robin bombarded her mind again, and her heart threatened to burst out of her once more. None of them spoke for at least half a minute.

"What did you do exactly?" Mary Margaret asked again.

Regina sighed. "A forgetting potion… catered to remove memories of me. The fond ones, at least."

Mary Margaret's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm surprised it doesn't affect his capacity to love," she said, "From my experience with those, I wasn't able to love at all…"

Regina smirked. "That potion Rumplestiltskin gave you had a price," she explained, "He wanted something to happen, and so he made it that way. I made a forgetting potion to remove thoughts of me, but I still want him to love, of course."

Mary Margaret appeared relieved. "That's good news."

Regina arched an eyebrow. "You think I'll be _that_ spiteful to the man?"

The princess almost laughed. "No, but it shows me that you still have the good I've always seen in you."

Regina's throat tightened, foreign emotions attacking her from the inside once more, threatening to gush out in tears. "I think you should leave."

Mary Margaret sighed, but she did not protest. Perhaps she was used to it by now, for her former step mother to always shut her out. "We're here if you need anything," she said, "_All _of us." She was referring to the Charmings, Regina knew. She only nodded in response, and she followed her guest out the door.

When Mary Margaret took her leave, Regina heaved a huge sigh. The burden in her heart was still heavy, but if there was anything the innocent princess did in that pep talk, it was to push the issue of her unhealthy grieving; her sulking wasn't going to do her any good. Perhaps an apple pie then, Regina thought, would ease her thoughts on the outlaw who was no longer hers. She proceeded into the pantry, searching for the usual ingredients. It surprised her that she was out of a lot of basic things, like flour and nutmeg. Regina browsed through the rest of her kitchen to see if there was anything else missing. She sighed again. This was probably a good time to go grocery shopping.

...

Regina walked leisurely toward the store. The Storybrooke citizens greeted her casually, but they looked at her the same way as they would have back in their land. Somehow, this angered her. Had she not given them enough reason to forgive her? _You've certainly given them enough reason not to_, her thoughts countered. It was only Henry and perhaps the Charmings that understood her now. How ironic, she realized, for the Charmings out of all people to see through her inner demons. But none of this mattered before, not when Robin loved her. With him, everything was rosy, so gag-worthy, now that she thought about it. But she could honestly say she was happy.

Regina continued on her way, trying to push the thoughts of unwantedness behind her.

She proceeded inside when the automatic doors slid open for her. A burst of cold wind roared at her, and she frowned at the possibility of her neatly fixed hair to be ruined with just one stroke. She huffed, running her hand quickly through her hair on all sides as she proceeded to the aisle she needed to go.

The grocery's music was soothing, as always. It had such a calming effect. Regina smiled. This wasn't as bad as she thought. Besides, when did she ever give someone else her own vulnerability, other than her son? Ridiculous. She was her own woman, always has been. She turned her head toward the baking section, and she could've sworn she felt her heart drop down her stomach. There he was, his expression cool, his shoulders relaxed, his eyes searching through the products in front of him with a grocery basket in one hand. The sight of him shot Regina a harsh reminder that only she was the one suffering in this situation, to remember those painfully wonderful memories while he was blissfully unaware and enjoying a newfound life with his family. It was absolutely _unfair_. Regina sucked in a breath and turned abruptly, proceeding to the aisle immediately next to them. Her heart was beating rapidly beneath her chest as adrenalin came rushing through her veins.

_Breathe_, she thought to herself_, Just breathe._ What in the world was he doing in the bakery section? Did he not live in the woods? Regina rolled her eyes. Even through ignorance, the man was determined to prevent her from forgetting him.

_Get in there_, Her thoughts scolded her, _what are you so afraid of?_ She shuddered, and she hated herself for doing so. _Get a grip, damn it. He's just a man._ Regina exhaled her nervousness and turned back to the section, ignoring the protests that flooded her mind like bullets from a firing machine gun.

She held her head high, as a proper queen should. She glanced through the products and realized- oh, she needed to get closer to him to get the ones she needed. _Of course_, she grumbled. She approached his direction, ever painfully, and when she was close enough she caught a glimpse of him turning his head toward her. Regina spun her head to the opposite aisle stiffly. Thousands of exit routes ran through her mind. She gulped. This was wrong. This was a bad idea. Utterly, and absolutely a _horrible_ idea. She should just remove herself, get out in a puff of smoke. The apple pie was _not _worth this trouble.

_NO. _Her thoughts screamed at her. _Don't give him the satisfaction that he's actually affecting you_. Her shoulder raised and she exhaled slowly, but the calm she sought for never came.

"_Your highness_."

She jumped at his voice. Regina grimaced. "You scared me," she snapped. "Where are your manners, thief?" she spun around sharply with a full-on Evil Queen glare, but the face that greeted her made her defensive walls crumble and her knees weak. There it was again, that Robin Hood look. That obnoxiously charming gaze. She was lost in his eyes for a moment, until she realized his outstretched hand between them.

"Forgive me, your majesty," Robin said, his voice was without a tinge of anger, to her surprise, "But I believe you dropped this."

Regina's eyes finally broke away from his to see what item he was referring to. In his hand he held her credit card. She wondered how on earth the item fell from her pocket; it was not in her character to be scatter-brained with important things like these. But she shoved those thoughts away and snatched the card from his hand.

He sighed frustratingly. "A simple thank you would suffice." Regina's stomach churned at the words, fresh memories of their Enchanted Forest meeting flashing in her mind. He continued to stare, and she caught his very brief up and down glance at her before he said, "And I highly doubt I would scare someone like you so easily."

Regina chuckled cynically. "You have the nerve to speak with me at all?" she scoffed, "You're duller than I thought."

She turned away from him, back to the part of the damn aisle she did not even need. She pretended to ponder over what paper plate to get (seriously, of all the grocery supplies, why this?) when his voice intruded her thoughts once more.

"I do hope my threat against you the other day did not cost me my head." _Another _similar phrase he had told her once before, albeit slightly different to match the situation. Regina turned to him again.

"If it did, you would be charred to a crisp by now." She said. Robin smiled. _He smiled! _Regina forced her excitement away and continued, "But I've been tempted to do so now and again."

"Well I suppose my luck hasn't run out," Robin replied. He approached her slowly, his eyes locked on hers, his half-smile mocking her. He stepped close enough that she could once again feel his heat as his intense gaze melted her. Then, he reached forward, for something behind her, and she darted her eyes away, the tension she hadn't realized building inside her finally releasing.

He took a pack of paper plates and placed it on his basket. Regina shot him a pointed look. "You could have said _excuse me_."

His lips curled to a grin, that familiar mock-like amusement that made Regina's heart flutter. She never thought she had the chance to see it again.

"Well you could have said _thank you_." he countered.

Regina matched his smile with her own as she glared. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"  
"Exchanging witty banter with the evil queen?" Robin scoffed, then shook his head, "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."

Regina's eyes flickered, and she looked at him more intently. "Do you… know something?"

At this, Robin's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Know something?" he repeated, "You mean, why my Merry Men have been uncomfortable with my reunion with Marian, or why Roland hasn't stopped speaking highly of you? -_No_, I don't believe I know anything." he tilted his head curiously as he stared back at her, "Do _you_?"

Regina found herself at a loss for words. How was she able to counter such a remark? She shook her head. "No," she admitted, "I don't."

"Really?" Robin pressed, "Because from the way you look at me, I most certainly think you _do_."

Regina gritted her teeth. "Do you think I'm lying to you?" she bellowed, "How _dare_ you impose on me! You _don't_ know me, thief!"

Robin backed away, raising his arms up in surrender. "You're right, I don't," he said, "I'm sorry."

Regina grumbled, sighing frustratingly through her nostrils. She walked toward the opposite aisle finally to get the ingredients she needed. She shook her head. Regina did not need to look at him to know he was still staring. "What?" she snapped.

"I do believe I owe you an apology," Robin began.

Regina turned to him again, curious. "Yes, you already said that."

"No, not for today," Robin clarified, "For threatening you." he shifted his stance uncomfortably before he finished, "I don't believe it was fair to accuse you so readily… I've given it much thought, and I've come to the conclusion that it was not like you to be in such close proximity to your victims."

Regina did not know whether this was a compliment or an insult. Robin continued, "I have no idea what happened, or who harmed Marian," his stare on her grew more intense, "But as time goes by, I'm coming to a much firmer conclusion that it certainly was not you."

Regina arched one eyebrow. "You really think you have me all figured out?"

"_I think_ your scare tactics in our land are quite easy to read."

She smiled, shaking her head at the ludicrousness of the situation. "Well. It's a miracle you and your men haven't touched a single coin in my castle."

"We see to it that we never bother people with magic," Robin confessed. "It's too dangerous."

She laughed. The irony of him actually telling _her_ that. "I'm pretty sure you've had your fair share of meddling," she spat out. She couldn't help it. _Quite extensively, _she may add. But she decided it was best if she left that part out.

Robin smirked. "You know, I find it quite remarkable I'm talking to the, 'Evil Queen'. I really can't find anything 'evil' about you." Regina's face brightened, perhaps a little too much, because he said, "Are you sure you don't know anything?"

Her smile faded, but she cleared her throat to mask it. "Have a good day, thief."

She was about to leave when she felt him grab her wrist. "Wait, please."

The jolt of his touch electrified her, and she shivered at the sensation. She shot him a dark look. "Unhand me!" she shouted, "This is highly inappropriate."

"I'm sorry," Robin said, releasing her, "I'm just trying to figure all this out."

Regina neared her face to him in another final attempt at intimidation. "Well you came to the wrong woman." she glowered. They locked each other's gaze again, and Regina cursed herself for even thinking about nearing him once more. The tension between them was astoundingly high. "Don't get in my way," she said, and with that, she spun around sharply and stormed off.

Regina did not dare to even look back. She kept walking, hoping Robin was not following her. _It's better off this way_, she consoled, _I'm sorry, Robin_.

When she finished checking out, she glanced toward his direction. He was staring. _Staring_. Why? Why wouldn't he leave her alone? He had his Marian! Regina broke away from his gaze and left the grocery, facing the torment by herself once more.

_This is for your own good, Robin_, she told him mentally. _Don't look for me._ _Just… be happy. For the both of us._

A tear trickled down her face, and Regina wiped it away immediately before anyone could notice. The promise she made him, that she was never going to give up on them, was a thing of the past. A relic, just like them.

Fresh tears threatened to gush out of her eyes when she was close to reaching home. Her past with Robin was torturing her endlessly, that the thought of making another forgetting potion seemed viable now.

As she approached her door, thoughts of Robin immediately ceased as new tension welled up inside her. The doorknob and key hole was completely broken off. Remnants of ice embedded around the circle of the hole there. _Elsa_, Regina thought. The woman Rumplestiltskin was talking about was here, in her home! Her body surged with newfound energy as she stormed in.

A pale woman with platinum blonde hair was sitting on her living room sofa, looking indecently calm.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Regina barked.

When Elsa stared at her, Regina immediately saw not an ounce of warmth in them. Those blue eyes, full of hate. Full of spite. Something Regina knew all too well, something she wore everyday when she was in pursuit of Snow White.

"Queen Regina," she said, her tone unnervingly calm, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."  
Regina arched an eyebrow. "You've heard of me."

"Haven't we all?" Elsa replied, standing from her seat. She took a step closer to her. Regina brought out her hand. Knives hiding around the living room instantly rose and pointed threateningly at the unwanted guest. "You are _not_ freezing my heart," Regina bellowed. Elsa answered her with a near-sinister laugh.

"Oh, how quaint, you think I'm here to kill you?" Elsa said, her tone mildly amused, "Please. If I wanted that, you would have long been frozen by now." she shot a blast of ice at her and Regina flinched, instinctively blocking her heart. Instead, the beam shot at both her wrists, and instantly, the knives surrounding Elsa fell to the ground. Elsa made a pulling action. Suddenly, Regina felt a sharp tug from her wrists, and she was yanked closer to the blonde woman.

"What the-"

"-Relax, Regina," Elsa said, "I only want your help."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "_My _help?" she asked, "What could you possibly want from me?"

At this, Elsa grinned, her knowing smile sending chills down her spine.

"Oh, your highness. Wouldn't you like to know."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello readers! I really do need your thoughts on this one. I've come to a point in the story where the story line has gotten a bit fuzzy and open-ended. Let me know of possible predictions and/or scenarios you would like to see. At this point, I'm open to suggestions.

**Questions to Ponder:**

1. Thoughts on Snow's pep talk with Regina?

2. Thoughts on Outlaw Queen Moments?

3. Thoughts on Evil Queen vs Snow Queen Moment?

Hit the review section below, let me know!


	12. Chapter 12

**Previously on Outlaw's Dilemma (Ch11 Summary):**

_After a pep talk from Snow White, Regina decides to bake an apple pie to ease her thoughts about Robin. Regina realizes she is out of ingredients and proceeds to the grocery store. There, she meets Robin for the first time after he drank the forgetfulness potion. After their exchange, Regina moves herself away from him for fear of ruining his happy ending with Marian. As she proceeds home, she sees her front door tampered with. She bursts into the room to find Snow Queen Elsa, who traps her in ice before she can do anything._

* * *

**Chapter 12**

_Enchanted Forest, Years ago._

Elsa stared cautiously at the Dark One as he spun on his wheel. This man, whom she signed a contract with because he promised her he'd help her get Anna back, had been spinning on his wheel every time she saw him.

"Are we not going to start?" she pried, but Rumplestilskin did not answer. She paced around the room, waiting. The imp remained seated, spinning his straw into gold. Elsa grumbled. "Did you not hear what I said?"

Still, he did not respond. Elsa gritted her teeth. The anger bubbled inside her and she shot an ice beam from across the room. Instantly, the spinning wheel crystallized. "Don't waste my time, Rumple!" she roared.

Rumplestilskin turned to her direction, but instead of a frown she had expected him to display, he was grinning. "Interesting," he said, "Your powers grow stronger with emotion. More particularly, _anger_."

His observation made Elsa step back. Rumplestilskin approached her with an ardent stride. "Now, for the most peculiar part of your ability." He took out a vial from his pocket. He waved his hand toward the frozen spinning wheel and instantly, it disintegrated, its remnants flowing into the vial he held out. "The power to give life."

Elsa was about to speak, but Rumplestiltskin spoke again. "I'll have to do a lot more research on your powers, dearie. But in the meantime… try not to freeze my castle." He proceeded into his private room without saying another word.

Elsa huffed, crossing her arms frustratingly as she sat on a dining room chair.

* * *

_Storybrooke, present time._

Regina shot Elsa a death glare. "What exactly do you want from me?" she demanded. Elsa was sitting comfortably on the living room couch, seemingly observing Regina immobile from her ice. Elsa grinned.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this moment."

"So that's it? You want to kill me?" Regina smirked, "Please. You're not the first one who wanted to. I'm used to this by now."

Elsa frowned. "That's quite a sad existence, don't you think?" she stood, approaching her confidently without breaking eye contact. Elsa reached for Regina.

She instinctively flinched as the snow queen's hand came closer to her face. Her touch was ice cold. Regina kept her glare at her, trying her best to match the same intensity Elsa had for her. Elsa's hand trailed from her face down to her throat.

"It's very tempting to kill your right here, right now."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "Then why don't you do it?"

Elsa removed her hand and turned back as she said, "I need you for something." she stepped a few paces away before whirling her head back at her. "To cast a spell, really."

Regina arched her head to the side. "And what makes you think I'd do anything for you?"

At this, Elsa's eyes glinted with the purest anger. She stormed toward Regina again. "Because I've been observing you, Regina. Your strengths, your weaknesses. I know exactly who you love."

Regina pursed her lips as her adversary continued, "You're going to do what I say or else your precious little Henry will die."

Regina's mouth fell open, her eyes shocked at the threat. "You wouldn't."

Elsa arched her eyebrow. "So you're taking the risk then?"

She gritted her teeth as the fire in her ignited. Regina shook her head. "You've gone insane."

"Have I?" Elsa said, "You've ruined many lives, including mine! I'm doing everyone a service."

"Leave my son out of this," Regina ordered, "You can't possibly use him to pay for the things I've done! If you do, then you're no better than me."

Elsa let out an amused laugh. "That's rich, coming from you." She took out a small scroll from her side and flicked it. The scroll unravelled itself quickly. "Do you recognize this spell?" she presented it to Regina. Regina's eyes glossed over the first few words in the scroll and her eyes widened.

"Where did you get this…?" her voice uttered breathlessly.

Elsa smiled. "Surprised?"

Regina furrowed her eyebrows. "This is impossible without the proper ingredients!" she exclaimed, "And the essential piece of this spell does not even exist."

Elsa shot her a pointed look. She shot her beam on the floor, instantly forming a snowman half her size. The snow man shook his head and blinked. Regina's eyes widened at the sight. "No… that's…"

"_Impossible?"_ Elsa finished for her, "Well obviously that isn't true."

Regina shook her head. "This is… Soul Magic!" she watched the snow man's behavior. It growled viciously as its hollow eyes stared back at her. Regina's heart was pounding loudly. In all her years of magic training, she had never seen Soul Magic done. Even to powerful beings like Rumplestilskin, Soul Magic was a myth. She remembered him reiterating this to her time and again: Dead is _dead_. She remembered Daniel, the ordeal she went through just to get him back, and she wondered if she could have saved him after all. She gasped a sharp intake of breath, realizing her heart had gone heavy from the emotion Daniel's memory brought on her. It's been a while since she last thought of him!

"Who exactly are you trying to bring back?"

"My sister," Elsa replied, "Anna, the woman you brutally murdered!"

Regina sighed. "Even if you have this power," she began, trying to steady her shaky voice, "you still need a body surpassing death," she turned to Elsa. "That scroll specifically stated that the new body must be resilient to withstand death itself."

Elsa chuckled. "I know," she feigned to ponder over this, "And what impeccable timing this is for me, to be in a place where someone escaped death!"

Regina's stomach churned. Emma and Hook had returned a woman who was supposed to die, a woman who inadvertently survived her untimely fate. "Marian..." she whispered.

"So _that's_ her name?" Elsa said, "How pretty. And she is… your man's wife, isn't she?"

Regina did not reply. Elsa laughed. "I imagine you have no trouble handing her to me."

She gritted her teeth. How would Robin feel? And Roland, poor Roland! The boy would lose his mother _twice_! "No," Regina growled. But she knew her fervent reply was mostly to convince herself. Heroes don't do this, and she promised Henry she would change. So why, despite everything that she's been through, feel this overwhelming… happiness?

* * *

_Enchanted Forest, Years ago._

Elsa barged into the imp's room angrily, icicle spikes trailing behind her. "Rumplestiltskin!" she bellowed. The Dark One kept pouring the liquid into a jar on the table in front of him. Elsa sighed frustratingly.

"It's been weeks," she started, "_Weeks_, and I haven't heard anything from you."

"If you are suggesting I've backed out on our deal, dearie, then you have another thing coming," he replied.

Elsa felt her fury dissipating as relief struck her. "So you've made progress, then? I can see Anna again?"

Rumplestiltskin looked at her. After a beat of a moment, he spoke. "Here." he took the scroll resting on the table and tossed it toward her. Elsa caught it and opened the scroll slowly. "What's this?"

"Your answer, dearie," Rumplestiltskin replied, "a way to bring your sister back to life."

Elsa's face lit up. "Really?" she ran over to him and throw her arms. "I can't thank you en-"

"Nah-ah-ah!" he held out his finger. He turned his head to her with a displeased look. "First of all, I don't do hugs."

Elsa backed up slightly. Rumplestiltskin continued, "Second, you better read that spell closer, dearie. A spell to bring someone back to life has its quirks."

Elsa eyed the imp curiously before opening up the scroll again. "...Soul Magic…?" she mumbled.

"That's what you have, dearie," he said, "So you need not worry about that."

Elsa read on. There were a lot of preparations needed, it seemed. "A body resilient to withstand death?" she said, "What does that mean?"

Rumplestiltskin continued to work on the item in front of him as he spoke. "It means you must find someone who escaped his own fate," he explained, "Someone who outsmarted death itself."

Elsa arched her eyebrow. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Your problem, dearie, not mine."

Elsa stared at the scroll again. As she got to the end, she shivered, for the final line struck her very core. "This… can't be."

"A life for a life," Rumplestiltskin said, "You should have known a reviving spell wouldn't be that simple."

Elsa looked at him desperately. "But the caster must be the person who intended to murder the victim. This spell is worthless," she said, "I can't use this if I need _her_ to cast it for me!"

"Again, your problem," he giggled, his voice higher than usual.

Elsa frowned. "There has to be another way."

" 'Fraid not," he replied. Then he turned to her direction. He picked up the jar from the table. Elsa's eyes darted toward the item. "What's that?"

Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers. Elsa felt her muscles tense. Panic struck her heart and she attempted to run, but she remained frozen in place. _What is this? _she wanted to yell, but her mouth remained shut. She watched as the imp smiled at her.

"I'm afraid you'll have to get inside this jar, dearie."

_Excuse me? _Her thoughts grew frantic. She could feel her emotions budding from inside her, and her ice began to form in her hands.

"You are a teeny bit unstable for my tastes," Rumplestiltskin said, "An unstable woman with a vengeance." He shivered, then laughed aloud. "A scary combination indeed!"

_No… this can't be… happening… _She squirmed, desperately trying to remove herself from the imp's bind.

"Unfortunately for you, I need Regina _alive_," Rumplestiltskin said with a smile. He pointed the jar at Elsa and opened it. Instantly, the jar's hole shone a bright blue. Elsa felt herself being pulled in, and her throat tightened.

She wanted to scream, to unleash her powers and be rid of Rumplestiltskin and this imp. But her efforts at escaping were fruitless. She watched desperately as she saw her body stretched disproportionately as it swirled inside the jar. The last thing she saw was Rumplestiltskin's beady eyes gleaming at her before everything went white, and her voice finally screamed.

* * *

_Storybrooke, Present_.

How long has it been since then, since her freedom was taken away from her? Elsa didn't know. But she was thankful for somethings, however little; she was still alive, no doubt. And she still had the spell. Most importantly, she still had hope that her sister would be alive and well once more.

Now that she was out, things could never be so perfect. The final ingredient of her spell existed, she knew that for sure, after she was able to look into the woman's mind during her ice spell. This woman, Marian, as Regina called her, was Elsa's eyes and ears throughout this strange town, as she walked and harassed everyone she saw. While Marian possessed a frozen heart, Elsa saw through her eyes. Granted, this confused her at first, but after Marian's memories was removed from her, Elsa started to understand what was happening, and her cause came to the front. _Anna._

"So," Elsa began, "Are you going to help me get my sister back?"

The Evil Queen glared at her, like _she_ was the monster. The nerve of this woman. "Fine," she conceded, "But you better promise Henry will be fine."

In truth, Elsa would never hurt an innocent boy for her cause, but the Evil Queen didn't need to know that. "Of course."

The Evil Queen sighed. Elsa released her from the ice, but before she was completely out, Elsa grabbed both her hands. The Evil Queen hissed as Elsa unleashed a burst of power. "What the hell are you doing?"

"A precaution," Elsa said, "Just in case you decide to betray me."

She narrowed her eyes. "What did you do?"

Instead of answering, Elsa only shot her a knowing smile. "Unless you do betray me, you'll never have to worry about it." she winked. "Now go on and get my ingredient, _your highness_." She acknowledged her title with the utmost bitterness. She watched as the Evil Queen left the premises.

"Hold on, Anna," she whispered, "I'm almost there. Wait for me."

* * *

**Questions to Ponder:**

1. Is Elsa's motive justified?

2. Will Regina follow through Elsa's plans?

3. Thoughts, predictions? Suggestions?

Hit the review section below, let me know!


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